Author: Nadirian Emma

US Fed News
October 18, 2007 Thursday 1:56 AM EST

REP. JONES URGES SPEAKER NOT TO SCHEDULE VOTE ON ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
RESOLUTION

Rep. Walter B. Jones, R-N.C. (3rd CD), issued the following news
release:

In a letter this week to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Congressman
Walter B. Jones (R-NC) joined 40 House colleagues in expressing their
serious concerns regarding H. Res. 106, the Affirmation of the United
States Record on the Armenian Genocide Resolution. Citing concerns
that the resolution could hinder the efforts of U.S. Armed Forces in
Iraq and Afghanistan by damaging U.S. relations with Turkey and
further destabilizing the Middle East, the letter urges Speaker
Pelosi not to schedule a vote by the full House on this issue.

"While we understand that this resolution is well-intentioned and our
views relating to it in no way diminish the atrocities toward
Armenians that occurred during the Ottoman Empire, approving H. Res.
106 in the House of Representatives would be counterproductive to
U.S. national security interests in the Middle East," the letter
states.

"As you are aware, the government of Turkey has voiced strong
opposition to this resolution. In fact, Turkish diplomats, Secretary
of State Condoleezza Rice, eight former Secretaries of State, and
three former Secretaries of Defense have warned us that congressional
recognition of genocide claims will lead to a review by Turkey of the
entire U.S.-Turkish relationship," the letter continues.

"Turkey sits at a strategic crossroads for our nation and serves as
an important ally for U.S. military operations in Iraq and
Afghanistan. The Turkish government provides air and land space to
the U.S. military at Incirlik Air Base, which provides a key site for
personnel and equipment crossing the border in to Iraq. In fact, over
half of the cargo flown into Iraq and Afghanistan comes through
Incirlik Air Base. Additionally, the U.S. military’s use of Incirlik
Air Base will be an invaluable component to a successful and safe
redeployment of our troops when the time comes," the letter states.
"Jeopardizing utilization of Incirlik Air Base will not only
compromise current U.S. operations in the region, but will come at
the expense of U.S. Armed Forces personnel serving in the Central
Command area of operations."

"Furthermore, this legislation may potentially derail current efforts
to normalize and reconcile Turkish-Armenian relations," the letter
states. "Derailing this effort could delay the prospect for opening
the Turkish border, resulting in long-term set backs on progress that
is key for Turkey, Armenia and other countries in the region."

For additional information or to schedule an interview with
Congressman Walter B. Jones please contact Kathleen Joyce at (202)
225-3415.

SCHIP: DEMOCRATS LOSE THE BATTLE, STAND TO WIN THE WAR
-Jane Roh

The Gate – National Journal, DC
Oct 17 2007

Updated.

The House Democratic leadership failed to wrangle the 12 to 15
additional votes it needed to push an expansion of a health care
program for poor children past a presidential veto.

Lawmakers voted to override President Bush’s veto 265 to 159, just
under the two-thirds majority required. Squabbling over the bill,
popular in spirit but contentious in practice, culminated in lawmakers
using and attacking real live children volunteered by their parents
as props in the debate.

Today’s vote was originally scheduled for around noon, but had to be
delayed because of still more ugliness. During floor debate preceding
the vote, California Democrat Pete Stark accused Republican fiscal
conservatives of "telling lies" about the breadth of the expansion.

He continued: "You don’t have money to fund the war or children. But
you’re going to spend it to blow up innocent people if we can get
enough kids to grow old enough for you to send to Iraq to get their
heads blown off for the president’s amusement."

The National Republican Congressional Committee fired off video
of Stark’s remarks so fast that it misidentified the loose-cannon
lawmaker as a fellow Republican. Protesting GOP lawmakers called for
a reprimand vote on the remarks, which failed.

It seems that the hard-charging Democrats of nine months ago have hit
a wall when it comes to Bush’s vetoes. Today’s vote means they will
be forced to make concessions, despite a vow from House Speaker Nancy
Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid yesterday (subscription)
that they would not give in on the $35 billion figure for SCHIP
expansion. Lawmakers are under the gun to push reauthorization through,
as a number of states have already suspended their programs in the
face of no new federal contributions.

In remarks yesterday warning House lawmakers against an override,
Bush said, "Now it’s time to put politics aside and seek common ground
to reauthorize this important program." The president, backed by a
bloc of fiscal conservatives in Congress, has criticized the package
as overly expansive, because in some states middle-class families
qualify for coverage. The program’s intent was to cover families too
poor to afford private insurance but ineligible for Medicare.

Bush signaled yesterday that his veto should stand because there is
plenty of room for compromise. "If it requires more than the 20 percent
increase in funding that I proposed, then we’ll work with Congress
to find the funding that we need," he said in a press conference.

Despite today’s setback, the SCHIP fight is one that stands to cut
deepest in the Republican Party. The main argument against the House
and Senate bills is that the ticket price is too big and that taxes,
even one on cigarettes, should not be raised to help pay for the
program.

But as with most fights in the Capitol these days, all roads lead to
Iraq. The bill’s supporters are on board with the gist of what Stark
said today, if not crazy about the way he said it. If the federal
government has to scrounge for spare change to pay for the program,
it’s because of the billions being wasted on the war, they say. As
long as the nation’s purse is being overspent in Iraq, they reason,
why not also thrown some money at uninsured children.

A new CBS News poll shows the public is willing to pay for expanding
the program by an overwhelming majority. Almost immediately following
the vote, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee pulled the
trigger on individualized press releases targeting GOP lawmakers who
voted with the president. Anti-war group MoveOn.org went up with a
new TV ad campaign starring two-year-old Bethany Wilkerson, a SCHIP
enrollee. In the cross hairs are Tom Feeney (Fla.-24), Sam Graves
(Mo.-06), Ric Keller (Fla.-08), Randy Kuhl (N.Y.-29), Marilyn Musgrave
(Colo.-04) and Tim Walberg (Mich.-07). MoveOn and other groups have
been running ads attacking individual GOP lawmakers on SCHIP since
the summer.

The number of uninsured Americans has mushroomed during Bush’s
presidency, ensuring that health care is right up there with the war in
the 2008 campaigns. The U.S. military strategy in Iraq is in a kind of
stasis until March — plenty of time for Democrats to continue bundling
voters’ concerns about health care with hopelessness about the war.

The House leadership appears to be standing down on another
contentious, partisan issue. Pelosi signaled yesterday that lawmakers
would back off on a nonbinding resolution condemning the Ottoman
Empire’s genocide of the Armenians nearly a century ago. Even critics
of Turkey, which denies the genocide occurred despite overwhelming
historical evidence, have come to acknowledge that the issue is one of
timing. The Turkish government reacted angrily after the resolution
passed committee, and is retaliating by threatening cross-border
military strikes in northern Iraq and warning of a severing of ties
with Washington. The Bush administration and all of the living former
secretaries of state have urged the House to drop the matter.

"We don’t have the number of allies we used to have. We’ve lost so
much credibility worldwide," said Pennsylvania Democrat John Murtha,
predicting the measure would not pass.

The prospect of losing Turkey as an ally is proving too much even
for lawmakers who feel strongly about the Armenian genocide issue.

According to a National Journal poll of congressional insiders that
will be released tomorrow, the most frequently cited reason for
backing off the resolution is timing.

"Even as a co-sponsor, I do not believe this is the right time,"
said one Republican lawmaker.

Cast against the SCHIP fight, it’s now hard to see how this gets
perceived as hurting Democrats, either. Expect them to argue
that the reason Washington needs to hold its nose and deal with a
genocide-denying nation is — once again — the war in Iraq.

schip_democrats_lose_the_battl.php

KOCHARIAN DISCUSSES SITUATION IN LORI PROVINCE

ARMENPRESS
Oct 18 2007

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 18, ARMENPRESS: President Robert Kocharian and
the governor of the northeastern province of Lori, Aram Kocharian
(no relation to the president) discussed today a wide scope of issues
embracing socio-economic, healthcare, cultural and educational programs
implemented in the region.

Kocharian’s press office said the two men focused, in particular,
on resumption of a chemical plant in Vanadzor and the opportunities
to exploit it with its full capacity.

The governor said an agreement has been concluded with an Indian
company which will buy the plant’s products. He said also progress
is being made in expanding production of color stones.

They also referred to the process of collection of community
revenues. According to the governor, collection rate this year is 13%
higher as compared to the previous year.

The president was eager to learn what has been done in the province
to accomplish over 8 billion Drams worth urban development programs,
as well as about programs implemented in rural regions.

YEREVAN PRESS CLUB WEEKLY NEWSLETTER

OCTOBER 12-18, 2007

HIGHLIGHTS:

"PRESS CLUB" CYCLE: ELECTIONS AND LEGISLATION

INTOLERANCE INTENSIFIES. ANOTHER ATTACK MADE – ON "ARAVOT" CORRESPONDENT

RSF INDEX: BLOGGERS THREATENED AS MUCH AS JOURNALISTS IN TRADITIONAL MEDIA

FOURTH SOUTH CAUCASUS CONFERENCE ON SELF-REGULATION

"AZDARAR"-2007 AWARDS CONFERRED

"PRESS CLUB" CYCLE: ELECTIONS AND LEGISLATION

On October 17 another "Press Club" show went on the evening air of
"Yerkir-Media" TV company. The guest of the program host Ashot Melikian, the
Chairman of the Committee to Protect Freedom of Expression, was the deputy
head of Transparency International-Armenia Varuzhan Hoktanian. The subject
for discussion was the upcoming presidential elections and the RA Electoral
Code.

The next program of "Press Club" cycle will be aired by "Yerkir Media" on
October 24 at 21.40.

The "Press Club" cycle is produced under a project of Media Diversity
Institute, supported by Open Society Institute Assistance
Foundation-Armenia.

INTOLERANCE INTENSIFIES. ANOTHER ATTACK MADE – ON "ARAVOT" CORRESPONDENT

In the afternoon of October 11 at the editorial office of "Aravot" daily an
incident occurred to its correspondent Ruzan Minasian. When the journalist
came to the editorial office, a group of people started insulting her and
throwing items they could lay hands on at her. Ruzan Minasian was slightly
injured.

The reason for the incident was the article by Ruzan Minasian "No Money
Charged from Deceased", published in "Aravot" on October 11, 2007. The story
quoted the letter of the imprisoned A.M., convicted for murder committed in
2002 and pleading not guilty. The article caused the indignation of the
victim’s family and friends who came to "Aravot" editorial office and
started a brawl.

The statement of Yerevan Press Club, Journalists Union of Armenia and the
Committee to Protect Freedom of Expression, released on October 12,
stressed: "(…) The lack of punishment for intimidation, insults and
attacks, made by representatives of political and oligarchic groups, their
bodyguards, results in a situation when intolerance to journalists and media
seizes other segments of the society, too, that have the idea instilled of
violence being appropriate response to facts, arguments and opinions."
Journalistic organizations reminded that "journalist follows his/her public
duty, also reports the different opinions that exist in the society on a
certain issue": "In this case Ruzan Minasian did nothing more than present
the stance of a person, convicted for life, his justifications of his own
innocence. The people of contrary viewpoint, using their right to respond,
could have published their arguments." The signatories condemned another act
of violence against journalist and demanded that "those responsible for it,
this time known, be held to account in accordance with the law".

In the opinion of the RA Human Rights Defender Armen Harutiunian, expressed
in a statement of October 12, this intolerant attitude of citizens to the
professional activities of a journalist poses a threat to the establishment
of independent fourth estate in the country and adversely affects the
reputation of the state.

On October 12 the RA Police announced that criminal proceedings were
instituted by the Police of Yerevan Center community on Article 164 of the
RA Criminal Code ("Impeding the legitimate professional activities of
journalist"). The press release also listed the names of six women that
started the scuffle at "Aravot" editorial office.

Meanwhile, as YPC was told by Ruzan Minasian, she had been attacked not only
by women, but also by at least three men, one of them being most active. She
also noted she had interviewed one of these three men. Ruzan Minasian said
she would keep insisting that all the participants of the attack be charged
with the case.

RSF INDEX: BLOGGERS THREATENED AS MUCH AS JOURNALISTS IN TRADITIONAL MEDIA

On October 16 "Reporters Without Borders"(RSF) international organization
released its sixth annual Worldwide Press Freedom Index. The study was
conducted in 169 countries and based on events between September 1, 2006 and
September 1, 2007. RSF index was compiled by surveying 15 partner
organizations and 130 correspondents of RSF, as well as journalists,
researchers, lawyers and human rights activists. The respondents were
assessing the press freedom in each country with a questionnaire compiled by
RSF and including 50 criteria: ranging from various forms of pressure on
journalists and media to legislative restrictions, the behavior of
authorities towards the state-owned media and foreign press. Obstacles to
the free flow of information on the Internet were also taken into account.

The distinctive feature of the past year was the drastic increase in the
persecution of bloggers, online censorship: "More and more governments have
realized that the Internet can play a key role in the fight for democracy
and they are establishing new methods of censoring it." According to RSF, at
least 64 persons are currently imprisoned worldwide because of what they
posted on the Internet.

The bottom ranks of the RSF index, similarly to the last year (see YPC
Weekly Newsletter, October 20-26, 2006), were taken by Turkmenistan (167),
North Korea (168) and Eritrea, with the latter going down to the last, 169th
rank for the first time. RSF noted the disturbing situation in a number of
other countries, too, including China that stagnates near the bottom of the
index (163): "With less than a year to go to the Beijing Olympics the
reforms and the releases of imprisoned journalists so often promised by the
authorities seem to be a vain hope."

The first rank of the RSF index was shared by Iceland and Norway. The
research notes that the G8 member countries, except Russia, show slight
improvement over the past year. All of the European Union member countries
made it into the top 50 except Bulgaria (51) and Poland (56-57). Turkey
(101) was the only country in the European region, where a journalist was
murdered: "The victim was Hrant Dink, the editor of Armenian minority
newspaper ‘Agos’ who was gunned down in January by radical nationalists."

Of the former USSR countries the most benign is the situation in Estonia
(3-4), Latvia (11-12) and Lithuania (23). At a significant distance these
are followed by Georgia (66), Armenia (77), Moldova (81), Ukraine (92-93),
Kyrgyzstan (110), Tajikistan (115), Kazakhstan (125), that have move up a
little in RSF rating. While Russia has went from 147 rank in 2006 to 144 in
2007, in the opinion of index compilers, the country is not progressing:
"Anna Politkovskaya’s murder in October 2006, the failure to punish those
responsible for murdering journalists, and the still glaring lack of
diversity in the media, especially the broadcast media, weighed heavily in
the evaluation of press freedom in Russia." And if Belarus, similarly to
2006, took 151 line in RSF index, two other post-Soviet countries have gone
a bit down: Azerbaijan moved to 139th place, Uzbekistan – to 160th.

"Reporters Without Borders" do not comment on the freedom of press situation
in Armenia in any way. In other words, the journalistic community of Armenia
continues to remain unaware what prompts such drastic ups and downs in its
rank, particularly this time, when Armenia gained the highest line ever,
going up by 25 ranks as compared to 2005 and 2006 RSF index.

FOURTH SOUTH CAUCASUS CONFERENCE ON SELF-REGULATION

On October 11-12 in Tbilisi the fourth South Caucasus Media Conference was
held by the Office of OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media and OSCE
Mission in Georgia. The event was dealing with media self-regulation issues
in Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia. The heads of media and journalistic
associations of three countries of South Caucasus, international experts,
OSCE representatives took part in the conference.

"AZDARAR"-2007 AWARDS CONFERRED

On October 17 at the Journalists Union of Armenia "Azdarar" award ceremony
for 2007 was held. The award was established in 2004 by the Journalists
Union of Armenia and JUA "Gold Pen" Awardee Club on the Day of Armenian
Press, celebrated on October 16.

"Azdarar"-2007 was conferred on: the Chief Editor of the bilingual
Turkish-Armenian newspaper "Agos" Hrant Dink (posthumously); the
correspondent of "Azg" daily Melania Badalian – for pieces on culture
affairs; "Shoghakat" TV company – for promoting spiritual and cultural
values; the host of the Music Department of Public Radio of Armenia Alice
Kalantarian – for good language command; the Chief Editor of "Sevan"
newspaper Pap Hayrapetian; photo correspondent of "Hay Zinvor" newspaper
Hovhannes Armenakian – for the photo chronology of Karabagh conflict.

During "Azdarar" award ceremony the JUA Chairwoman Astghik Gevorgian
received a medal "Vazgen I, Catholicos of All Armenians", established by
"Mesrop Mashtots" Education and Culture Center of Vanadzor.

When reprinting or using the information above, reference to the Yerevan
Press Club is required.

You are welcome to send any comment and feedback about the Newsletter to:
[email protected]

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this mailing list, please send a message to: [email protected]

Editor of YPC Newsletter – Elina POGHOSBEKIAN
_____________________________________ _______
Yerevan Press Club
9B, Ghazar Parpetsi str.
0002, Yerevan, Armenia
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Fax: (+374 10) 53 56 61
E-mail: [email protected]
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EUROPEAN CONFERENCE OF FAO TO BE HELD IN ARMENIA IN 2010

Noyan Tapan
Oct 17 2007

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 17, NOYAN TAPAN. A European conference of the Food
and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations will be
held in Armenia in 2010, the RA minister of agriculture Davit Lokian
announced at the October 17 press conference, adding that this will
be an important event for Armenia. According to him, so far such
conferences have been held in France and latvia, and it is envisaged
to organize another one in Vienna in 2008.

TURKISH ASSEMBLY APPROVES POSSIBLE IRAQ INCURSION
By Mark Bentley

Bloomberg
Oct 17 2007

Oct. 17 (Bloomberg) — Turkish legislators authorized the use of
military force against Kurdish rebels in northern Iraq, a step that
may further damage Iraqi security and disrupt oil supplies.

The assembly in Turkey’s capital Ankara backed the motion by 507
votes to 19, Parliament Speaker Koksal Toptan told lawmakers today.

The measure allows Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan to authorize
one or more military assaults within a year.

Erdogan is threatening to direct an attack against members of the
Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, saying U.S.-led forces failed to
control about 3,500 militants sheltered in Iraq’s north. The PKK has
fought a two-decade war of independence from Turkey at the cost of
almost 40,000 lives.

"The U.S. must realize the seriousness of this situation and Turkey’s
determination to root out terrorism," said lawmaker Sadullah Ergin,
speaking to parliament on behalf of Erdogan’s governing party. "Iraq
has become a stomping ground for terrorists."

The U.S. has urged Turkey to stay out of the oil-rich region,
a relatively calm area of the country, as American forces seek to
reduce violence between ethnic Shiite and Sunni Muslim militants in
other parts of Iraq.

President George W. Bush re-emphasized American efforts to persuade
Turkey to exercise restraint in dealing with Kurdish rebels launching
attacks from the mountainous border area in northern Iraq.

"We don’t think it’s in their interest to send more troops in,"
Bush told reporters in Washington today.

`Threats Not Useful’

Turkey, with the second-largest army in NATO, sent troops into northern
Iraq in pursuit of PKK militants several times in the decade before
the U.S.-led war to oust Saddam Hussein in 2003. It has halted such
assaults since the U.S.-led invasion, instead attacking PKK units as
they have entered Turkey.

The PKK is designated a terrorist organization by the U.S. and the
European Union.

Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki phoned Erdogan today to appeal
for more time to deal with the PKK, saying Iraqi forces could join the
Turkish army in a military operation against the group "if necessary,"
CNN Turk television reported.

"Threats are not useful," Barham Salih, the Kurdish Deputy Prime
Minister of Iraq said in London today. A Turkish raid "will
have serious implications for Iraq, Turkey and for our bilateral
relationships. It will not be helpful to anybody," he said at a news
conference at Chatham House, a London-based consultant that advises
European governments on foreign policy.

NATO Urges Calm

Turkey should seek to "remain calm" in the face of PKK attacks, North
Atlantic Treaty Organization Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer
told President Abdullah Gul in a telephone conversation today, CNN
Turk said.

"The Iraqi government should be given a chance to prevent cross-border
terrorist activities," Iraqi Vice-President Tareq al-Hashemi said in
Ankara after meeting with Erdogan.

Crude oil rose to a record $89 a barrel in New York after the
Turkish vote.

Crude for November delivery rose 87 cents, or 1 percent, to $88.48
a barrel at 11:24 a.m. on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Futures
reached $89, the highest since the contract was introduced in 1983.

Prices are up 50 percent from a year ago. This is the seventh straight
daily gain.

"Oil supplies are very tight — Saudi Arabia can barely fill up any
capacity constraints from Iraq," said Fadi Hakura, an analyst at
Chatham House.

Kirkuk Pipeline

Iraq’s oil-rich city of Kirkuk is located about 100 miles (160
kilometers) from the border with Turkey. Iraq exports a portion of
its oil via a 600-mile (965 kilometer) pipeline stretching from Kirkuk
to Turkey’s Ceyhan port.

Erdogan’s government asked parliament to approve the incursion after
more than two dozen soldiers and civilians were killed over the past
two weeks in attacks blamed on the PKK.

Turkish companies started pulling workers out of northern Iraq ahead of
today’s vote in parliament and the rival Nationalist Action Party urged
Erdogan’s government to widen the attack on the PKK to include fighters
loyal to Iraqi Kurdish leader Massoud Barzani, Vatan newspaper said.

Relations between the U.S. and Turkey, both NATO allies, worsened
last week after a U.S. House of Representatives committee passed
a resolution labeling the World War I-era killing of Armenians by
Ottoman Turks as genocide. Turkey withdrew its ambassador to Washington
in protest.

Pentagon Planning

The Pentagon is drafting plans for alternate supply routes into Iraq
in the event Turkey closes its airspace to the U.S. because of the
resolution, a senior military official told reporters yesterday.

The U.S. military is "looking at a broad range of options" it could
pursue if Turkey cuts air and ground access, said Lieutenant General
Carter Ham, the director of operations for the Joint Chiefs of Staff,
according to the American Forces Press Service. "That is prudent
military planning."

Seventy percent of U.S. air cargo into Iraq goes through Turkey,
including almost all of the new vehicles containing heavy armor to
protect against roadside bombs, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said
Oct. 11.

A Turkish attack would put the U.S. in a difficult position, Ham
said. Turkey is a "highly valued NATO ally," though the U.S. is also
committed to Iraq’s sovereignty and its right to protect itself,
he added.

DEMOCRATS WAVER ON TURKEY RESOLUTION

EarthTimes, UK
Oct 17 2007

WASHINGTON, Oct. 17 Some Democrats in the U.S. Congress are urging
the party’s leadership to drop a resolution labeling Turkey’s World
War I killing of Armenians as genocide.

The controversial resolution drew a strong reaction from Turkey,
which has long been a U.S. ally and NATO member, for applying the
genocide label to the killing of 1.5 million Armenians by Ottoman
Turks, CNN reported Wednesday.

Turkey threatened to deny the United States access to Incirlik Air
Base after a House committee approved the resolution. The country
admits to the historical killings, but objects to the genocide label.

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., implied Tuesday that a
final vote on the resolution may be put off.

"I said I thought we would bring this up prior to us leaving here,"
said Hoyer. "I have not changed on that, although I would be less than
candid to say that there are a number of people who are revisiting
their own positions. We will have to determine where everybody is."

Rep. Ike Skelton, D-Mo., the chairman of the House Armed Services
Committee, said last week he does not support the resolution and
Reps. Alcee Hastings, D-Fla., and John Tanner, D-Tenn., who serve as
members of the U.S. House delegation to NATO, have asked House Speaker
Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., in a letter to reconsider the legislation.

Haigazian University
From: Mira Yardemian
Public Relations Director
Mexique Street, Kantari, Beirut
P.O.Box. 11-1748
Riad El Solh 1107 2090
Tel: 01-353010/1/2
01-349230/1

Haigazian University Students Stand Up and Speak Out against Poverty and
Inequality

Beirut, October 17, 2007- On the occasion of the International Day for
the Eradication of Poverty, Haigazian University students, staff and
faculty stood with millions around the world, to show their commitment
to the fight against poverty and inequality.

This symbolic gesture started with a word from the Student Life
Director, Antranig Dakessian, who presented the Millennium Development
Goals, set by the UN to combat poverty, hunger, disease, illiteracy,
environmental degradation and discrimination against women. "The
Millennium Development Goals are challenges that have triggered the
attention of the aware masses and particularly the youth of the
universe", Dakessian said.

The President of the University Rev. Paul Haidostian, talked about the
justice in the world and economic justice in the Middle East.

"Economic justice is rarely a topic of discussion in our midst, and in
the political circles of our countries. It has proven to be unpopular
and uncomfortable to say that the rich, the rich countries, foundations,
companies, individuals have much to do and give in order to solve the
problems of poverty, and that the strong have much to give away to
empower the weak", Haidostian said.

He also highlighted on the ethical standards for combating poverty. "The
rich cannot use or abuse their positions of privilege and think about
supporting the poor as a means to more control of wills and minds. They
should rather see in economic justice a manifestation of life in its
best reality as God intended it to be", Haidostian concluded.

At the end of the program, students, faculty and staff, stood up and
joined in solidarity with people from over 100 countries and pledged,
"today, and every day, we will stand up and speak out against poverty.
We will continue the fight against poverty and inequality and to hold
our leaders to their promises. We are asking not for charity but for
justice. We are millions of voices standing in solidarity to say, no
more excuses – end poverty now".

GENOCIDE RESISTANCE: THE POSSESSION OF ARMS SAVED MANY ARMENIANS
By Dave Kopel & Paul Gallant, & Joanne D. Eisen

National Review Online Blogs, NY
Oct 16 2007

Whatever may be said about the U.S. House of Representatives committee
vote concerning the use of the term "genocide" in reference to
Turkey’s atrocities against the Armenians during World War I,
two facts are indisputable: It was gun confiscation that made the
atrocities possible. And it was the possession of firearms that saved
many Armenians.

Under the Ottoman Empire, Armenians, who are mostly Christian, had not
been allowed to own firearms. This was standard practice for Christians
and Jews throughout the Empire, under sharia law for the "Dhimmi" –
Christians and Jews (and sometimes other faiths) who were allowed to
retain their religion, provided that they lived in subordination.

One feature of dhimmitude is a ban on the possession of any
weapons, and a prohibition from striking a Muslim, even in an act of
self-defense. Unsurprisingly, the Dhimmi were easy prey for thugs and
extortionists. For example, Armenian Christians in the 19th century
had to pay the Kurds not to attack their villages and pillage their
monasteries.

Military necessity led to a change in the Ottoman policy in 1908.

Armenian Christian soldiers would be permitted to train with weapons,
and by 1915, a significant number of Armenian men had done so. After
the Balkan War of 1912, many Armenian civilians bought firearms from
returning Turkish soldiers. Weapons and ammunition were secreted in
the walls of homes.

During World War I, in 1915, the Ottoman government decided to launch a
massive persecution of the Armenians. The current Turkish government,
along some scholars, denies that genocide was the intention, although
there is no doubt that many hundreds of thousands died.

U.S. Ambassador Henry Morgenthau reported that the Ottoman Turks faced
an obstacle: "Before Armenia could be slaughtered, Armenia must be
made defenseless." Armenians were reluctant to disarm, given their
distrust of the Turks.

As a first step, Armenian soldiers in the Ottoman army were stripped
of their weapons. Beaten and clubbed, placed on short rations, and
sometimes murdered, they were used to dig fortifications and latrines
for the Turks. Soldiers fled and returned home, bringing stories of
the destruction of Armenian villages and towns, murders of priests,
and rapes of women.

Disarmament orders were sent to Armenian towns; however, Armenian
leaders would collect broken and useless weapons, and, with a bribe,
deliver them to Turkish leaders – while keeping the functioning
weapons for themselves.

As the persecution intensified, contemporaneous Armenian writings
lamented that if civilians taken a more pro-active approach sooner,
more Armenians would have survived. But initially, the Armenians had
felt their best chance for survival lay in keeping a low profile and
remaining passive. It was only after a long pattern of murders by
the Turks that they began to actively defend themselves.

The 5,000 townspeople of Shabin Karahissar, including 600 poorly
armed Armenian men, retreated to a nearby fort when 10,000 regular
and irregular Turkish army troops approached. The Armenians’ guns
allowed them to keep the enemy at bay for 26 days. Although they
had sufficient water, they lacked adequate planning and eventually
starved. One survivor, Aram Haigaz, wrote: "Of the more than 5,000
who ascended the Fort, only 47 survived…."

Armed resistance movements also sprang up in Ourfa, in Shadakh,
and in the Pesan Valley. At Van, a group of 1,500 men with only 300
rifles fought off an army of 5,000 Turkish soldiers, and diverted the
attention of Turkish troops away from the Russian enemy. The defenders
at Van successfully held out for five weeks until they were rescued
by the Russian army. But shortly after, the Russian army made an
unexpected retreat, allowing the Turks to swoop in by surprise and
kill the 55,000 people of Van.

The best-known and most successful of resistance movement was
memorialized in the 1934 historical novel The Forty Days of Musa
Dagh. People from several villages retreated to the mountain whose
English name is "Moses Mountain." Provisioned with weapons and
supplies, the villagers held out on Musa Dagh for 53 days.

Pastor Tigran Andreasian listed the Armenian population of his native
region as 6,311. Of them, 4,231 persons chose to fight on the mountain,
while 2,080 people obeyed the deportation order of the Turks. When
the fighters were eventually rescued by the Allies, an amazing 4,200
survivors were taken to Port Said, Egypt.

As for those who accepted deportation, according to Vahram Shemmassian,
a scholar and descendant of one of the fighters, "the exact count
of casualties may never be determined, many families lost several
members and others perished completely."

Hitler reminded his generals that "nobody remembers the Armenians,"
and he worked assiduously to disarm his own genocide victims more
thoroughly than the Turks had done. When we do remember the Armenians,
let us remember that the difference between life and death was often
the possession of arms to resist mass murder by government.

David Kopel is research director for the Independence Institute. Paul
Gallant and Joanne D. Eisen are senior fellows at the Independence
Institute.

http://article.nationalre view.com/?q=N2M4YWQxZjJjZDZiZTM2MTc0NmFjMTMzMzRlNW RlMzk=

WORLD ARMENIA CONGRESS PREPARING A LEGAL BASIS FOR APPLYING TO ICJ

ArmRadio – Public Radio, Armenia
Oct 15 2007

The World Armenia Congress is preparing a legal basis for applying
to the UN International Court of Justice regarding the recognition
of the Armenian Genocide, declared Ara Abrahamyan, the Chairman of
the World Armenian Congress and Armenians’ Union of Russia. According
to him, a proper legal basis has been prepared for applying to the UN
International Court of Justice. "The position of Armenian authorities
on the issue is not very understandable to me. As a non-governmental
organization, we are not entitled to apply to the UN International
Court of Justice, it should be done by the Armenian leadership,
which does not want to do that now. The reasons are not clear so far,
although I have been repeatedly discussing the issue with RA President
Robert Kocharyan," Ara Abrahamyan underlined.

He reported also that the group of experts of the World Armenian
Congress and Armenians’ Union of Russia has prepared a thee-volume
collection of archive materials on the resolution of the Nagorno
Karabakh conflict, and intends to hold an international conference
on the issue in March 2007. "Recognition of the Armenian Genocide
and resolution of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict are pan-Armenian
issues, and we must participate in their settlement all together,"
Ara Abrahamyan said.