Author: Nahapetian Zhanna

A1plus
| 15:31:45 | 10-05-2005 | Social |
NATURAL DISTATER SPOILED CROPS
Yesterday several stones were blown down off the roof of a house in the
village of Bandivan, Kotayk region. One of the stones hit 43-year-old Karine
Hakobyan, who is in hospital at the moment.
May 8 the crossroad of the Admiral Isakov and Bagratunyats Streets became
impassible due to showers.
The department of the emergency situations reported that crops in the
villages of Mkhchyan, Ovtashen, Gnaberd, Mrgashat, Shahumyan, Ditak and
Dimitrov were spoiled by hail. In some other villages orchards were damaged.
Several basements and lands were flooded in the town of Artashat.

Scoop.co.nz (press release), New Zealand
May 10 2005
Rice IV on Imedi TV with Revaz Sakevarishvili
Press Release: US State Department
Interview on Imedi TV with Revaz Sakevarishvili
Secretary Condoleezza Rice
Tbilisi Marriott Hotel
Tbilisi, Georgia
May 10, 2005
MR. SAKEVARISHVILI: Madame Secretary, welcome to Georgia. I’d like to
thank you on behalf of our company. During the time schedule, you
have found a few minutes to answer our questions. The first question;
how successful was your visit to Russia and Georgia? And what can we
expect from this visit?
SECRETARY RICE: Well, let me start with the visit to Georgia. This
has been a wonderful visit. The President last night had a great
introduction to Georgian culture, and to Georgian hospitality.
Georgia is a country that the United States considers a good friend.
And it’s a good friend not just because of what Georgia has done to
support us in the war on terrorism in Iraq or Afghanistan, or because
of our deep cultural ties, but because we share values. And it has
become very clear that the world has been inspired by the Rose
Revolution. So this trip has been terrific. I think the President is
having a good time and we look forward to many, many years of
excellent relations between the United States and Georgia.
MR. SAKEVARISHVILI: Georgia hopes to get support from the United
States in order to restore its territorial integrity. Georgian
government officials often say that Russia is the main negative
factor that prevents Georgia from achieving this. What do you think
Washington can do to help Georgia in this mentioned above?
SECRETARY RICE: Well, we’ve had good discussions with the Russians
over the years but also when we were in Moscow, about the importance
of Georgian territorial integrity and the move for a unified Georgia.
I do believe that there are really two aspects to this. One is that
the international community could be helpful. In South Ossetia for
instance, at times the OSCE has been involved. In Abkhazia, the
United Nations has a role to play. And so the United States, in
conjunction with the international community will try and help
Georgia to resolve these difficult conflicts. But it’s also the case
that the stronger Georgia becomes economically, the more vibrant this
democracy becomes, I think that you will see that people want to be a
part of Georgia. Yes, people may want some autonomy in their local
affairs — they may want some local control over some issues. But a
unified Georgia that is democratic is going to be a magnet for all
kinds of people. This can be a great multi-ethnic democracy and that
I think is really Georgia’s future.
MR. SAKEVARISHVILI: A couple years ago an American funded Train and
Equip program was started. Initially the White House stated that
American trained troops were not entitled to take part in the
settlement of internal conflicts. Is there any possibility that
Washington’s position may change?
SECRETARY RICE: Well we believe strongly that there should not be the
use of military force in these internal conflicts. We have made that
clear with the Georgian government. In fact, these are issues that
need to be resolved politically and diplomatically. I do believe that
as the democracy develops here there will be reason for people who
now live in Abkhazia or live in South Ossetia to really want to be a
part of this great Georgian democracy. All forces for Train and Equip
were to ensure that Georgia could fight terrorism. We started in the
Pankisi George and I think we’ve had some great success there. But it
is really the case that we do not believe in the use of military
force in these internal conflicts and therefore American forces,
forces that were trained by the United States, could not be used in
those conflicts.
MR. SAKEVARISHVILI: In his annual report President Bush mentioned
Iran as the danger of freedom and democracy around the world. What’s
the plan that Washington has to deal with this problem? Is there any
chance that an anti-Iran operation could resemble anti-Iraq one, and
what part could Georgia play?
SECRETARY RICE: Well, we have no intention of using military force in
Iran. The fact is that conflicts are different. And Iraq had for
twelve years, twelve long years, defied the international community.
It was time to deal with this brutal dictator in Iraq. Iran is a
country where we have many, many concerns about Iran’s role in
funding terrorism in the Palestinian territories, in Lebanon, in
other parts of the world and we all as a world need to deal with
Iran. Funding and support for terrorism, which is open that they
support terrorism. We also have to deal with Iran’s ambitions for
nuclear technology to complete to a nuclear weapons program. And
there, we are working with the Europeans to try and support their
negotiations to get Iran to live up to its international obligations.
Now as to democracy I firmly believe that Iran will not be immune to
the changes that are going on in the world. If you look around the
world, people are demanding their democratic right. And the Iranian
people are a sophisticated people, they are wordly people. They want
to be a part of the international community. And they are being
denied their rights by an unelected few in Iran who want to impose
their particular view of the relationship between religion and
politics on the Iranian population. Iran is a proud and great nation.
And Iran will find its place in democratic values because as you know
it’s not too far from here. But the freedom, and the spirit of
freedom that is spreading throughout the world, Iran is not going to
be easy.
MR. SAKEVARISHVILI: Do you think that the attitude of Washington
towards Georgia would change, according to democracy in Georgia?
SECRETARY RICE: Well we believe that Georgia is on a democratic path.
And everything that I have seen since I’ve been here, and I think
that everything that the President has seen since he’s been here is
that Georgia is on a democratic path. It is not easy to build
democracy and we understand that it’s not just having luncheons, the
President will say that to the Georgian leaders. He’s said it in his
speech, that it’s not just having luncheons, it’s building democratic
institutions. We were able to meet with the Speaker of the
Parliament. It means having a strong legislative branch. It means
having a strong independent judiciary. It means rooting out
corruption in government. It means allowing the economy to be free of
too much government interference. These are the foundations of
democracy, and along with freedom of speech, freedom of worship and
protection of minority rights, that’s how you build a democracy. And
so I’m confident that that is the road that Georgia is on. It’s why I
believe that our friendship is only going to get deeper over time.
MR. SAKEVARISHVILI: During your visit to Riga, President Bush met
with the Presidents of the Baltic States. But in Tbilisi he did not
agree to meet with leaders of two other Caucasian countries. What’s
the reason for this? The level of democracy or anything else?
SECRETARY RICE: Oh, the visit to the Baltic States was a particular
kind, the President went to Latvia, he had been to Lithuania, and as
you know, of course the Baltic States are members of NATO, they are
allies and so he wanted to bring them all together, but we have
relations with Azerbaijan, we have relations with Armenia and we
value those relations. We do believe that it is important that
democracy spreads in the Caucasus. Georgia is a wonderful example for
people in this entire region of what can happen when people start to
take their rightful place in the communities around them.
MR. SAKEVARISHVILI: Thank you for your time. I hope it’s not your
last visit.
SECRETARY RICE: Oh, I think it will not be my last visit to Georgia.
It’s a wonderful place and I’ve always loved coming to Georgia. And I
very much support coming again.
MR. SAKEVARISHVILI: Thank you.
2005/497
Released on May 10, 2005

JUDGE IS DEPENDENT AND DEFENSELESS
A1plus
| 13:10:22 | 07-05-2005 | Politics |
“The sore spot of the juridical system is the problem of
independence not only of the executive bodies but also of all the
power branches. Presently the Ombudsman is trying to influence the
juridical independence”, judge of the Court of First Instance of
Erebuni and Nubarasehn communities Ara Kubanyan considers.
The judge proposes to create mechanisms, which would exclude any
interference. For this purpose the Union of Judges included Ara
Kubanyan in the group working out constitutional changes. The group
submitted to the NA the following suggestions: “The Articles 94
and 95 should be re-edited to transform the Justice Council into a
constitutional body, which takes corresponding decision.”
Kubaryan considers that to date a judge is defenseless and one of
the constitutional changes touches upon this problem: “The process
of dismissing judges, arrest or calling him administrative account
should be more complicated. In part, the corresponding decisions by
the Justice Council should be passed only on the basis of a resolution
handed down by a special commission of the Court of Cassations composed
of three members” To make the independence of a judge complete the
possibility to appeal the decision in the CC should be fixed in the
Constitution, Ara Kubaryan considers.
According to Kubaryan the three-step juridical system justifies
itself. Besides the Economic Court, he highlights the formation of
the Administrative court as it will ease the work of the Courts
of First Instance. The problems of administrative responsibility
referring to the state bodies and officials should be settled in
administrative order. Kubaryan also considers that there are cases
that demand consideration in the Court of First Instance by the
collective composition.
Victoria Abrahamyan

REVOLUTION DEMANDS VICTIMS
A1plus
| 17:22:09 | 04-05-2005 | Politics |
The most significant difference between the “Judge International
Third Conference” organized in Georgia this year and those organized
previously was that the event was no longer presided by Georgian
Supreme Court President Lado Chanturia. At present he is replaced by
Konstantin Kublashvili. Mr. Chanturia is one of the few representatives
of the Georgian Court system who has a very good reputation not only
in his fatherland but also outside it.
During the rose revolution Mr. Chanturia considered the results of the
Presidential elections in Georgia invalid, but this did not mean that
he would continue to have high posts under Mikhail Sahakashvili. During
the 8th month of Sahakashvili’s presidency Lado Chanturia resigned
from his post.
In some circles of Georgia this is accounted for by the fact that in
fact the most serious rival of Sahakashvili was Chanturia. Some people
claim that Eduard Shevardnadze saw Chanturia as his successor. By the
way, Lado Chanturia is Shevardnadze’s distant relative and is in good
terms both with Shevardnadze and the present Georgian authorities.
After several failures of President Sahakashvili Lado Chanturia’s
reputation has grown still more and his leaving Georgia was exactly
in time. After resigning from the post of the Georgian Supreme Court
President Lado Chanturia was invited to work in the Bremen University,
and he accepted the invitation.
In Georgia many people are convinced that as a result of Sahakashvili’s
policy Lado Chanturia’s reputation will grow more quickly and he will
remain a real candidate of the next President of Georgia.

Nagornyy Karabakh Republic [NKR] free three Azeri POWs
Mediamax news agency
7 May 05
Yerevan, 7 May: At 1425 [0925 gmt] today, the authorities of the
Nagornyy Karabakh Republic [NKR] handed over to the Azerbaijani side
the three servicemen, Xayal Abdullayev, Hikmat Tagiyev and Ruslan
Bakirov, who were detained in the northeast of Nagornyy Karabakh as
they tried to cross the demarcation line on 15 February.
The handover took place in the Agdam section of the contact line
between the armed forces of the NKR and Azerbaijan, Mediamax news
agency reports.
The Azerbaijani servicemen were released by the decision of the NKR
authorities with the mediation of the Nagornyy Karabakh representative
office of the International Committee of the Red Cross after the
Azerbaijani side agreed to accept its servicemen.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Armenia frees captured Azeri soldiers
Agence France Presse — English
May 7, 2005 Saturday 3:29 PM GMT
BAKU May 7 — Three soldiers captured by Armenian forces along the
ceasefire line dividing Azerbaijan and Armenian-occupied territory
in February have been freed and turned over to Azerbaijan, officials
said Saturday.
The three men were not harmed during their detention according to
Shain Sailov, an official with Azerbaijan’s committee for prisoners
of war and hostages, Lider TV reported.
He said the three were released through the mediation of the
Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe and the
International Committee of the Red Cross.
Armenia and Azerbaijan have been locked in a stalemate over the
ethnic Armenian enclave Nagorno-Karabakh since they ended large-scale
hostilities with an uneasy ceasefire agreement in 1994.
Armenia controls Karabakh and seven surrounding regions equal
to roughly 14 percent of Azerbaijan’s internationally-recognized
territory.
The Red Cross often intervened to negotiate the release of soldiers
captured by enemy forces serving on the ceasefire line.
About a dozen soldiers have lost their lives from sniper fire and
mines along the ceasefire line every year but that figure has already
doubled by some estimates for 2005.

EU DIPLOMAT URGES SOONEST RESOLUTION OF KARABAGH DISPUTE
Armenpress
YEREVAN, MAY 5, ARMENPRESS: A senior EU diplomat told a news conference
today in Yerevan that a plan of actions to deepen relations between
Armenia and the EU within the frameworks of European Neighborhood
Policy should be ready by the end of the year.
Heiki Talvitie, an EU special representative for the South Caucasus,
said the EU attaches great importance to stronger cooperation with
the region’s countries, but added that its focus now is on Georgia
rather, following the ‘rose revolution” there. Talvitie said the three
countries of the region have now to do their homework and develop
a plan of actions that will outline the main goals and the tasks of
future cooperation.
According to the diplomat, each of the countries will be approached
separately and added that the European Neighborhood Policy does not
envisage the region’s countries’ full integration with the European
Union.
Talvitie also said the EU is interested in a soonest resolution of the
Nagorno Karabagh problem, as this conflict hampers the development
of the region and stressed the importance of talks between Armenia
and Azerbaijan on the level of foreign ministers.

JOHN EVANS: ARMENIA FOLLOWING RIGHT DIRECTION
Pan Armenian News
02.05.2005 08:43
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenia is following the right direction, US
Ambassador to Armenia John Evansstated at the press conference held
upon completion of the sitting of the Armenian-American Working Group
of Economic Cooperation. In his words, the US assistance to Armenia
is realized in two directions, the first being the assistance to the
economic development of the country and the second – to the development
of democracy. Mr. Evans also noted that during the sitting the issues
referring to the amendments to be made to the Constitution and the
Election Code were as well discussed.

Zaman Online, Turkey
April 30 2005
The Orient is always the Orient for the West…
by MEHMET KAMIS
Media channels, which have multiplied in recent years, subject our
people today to very serious misinformation.
Tens of TV channels, newspapers, magazines, cinema, Internet portals,
and billboards constantly send messages to people’s minds. Despite
such a bombardment, we can have deep information about almost no
topic. We neither have the time nor the appetite to attain deep
knowledge even about issues that we have our own ideas or opinions
on. Since this is the situation, images and small messages gain
greater importance. The Western media often emphasizes certain issues
when writing about or monitoring Muslims. Turks and Arabs are either
terrorists or thieves or cheaters. This is such an accepted fact that
a few years ago it was insistently underlined in newspaper film
advertisements that a Muslim character was the good man in a film
called the 13th Warrior, the lead role of which belonged to Antonio
Banderas. It is such a rarely encountered situation that Muslims are
portrayed with good images in Western films that the company that
brought the film to Turkey felt it had to insist on this.
Again, a majority of news articles about Turkey and the Islamic world
in the Western media include negative photographs and information. A
travel and culture magazine called Mare, which I saw in the hands of
our photography editor Selahattin Sevi, had a photograph of Istanbul
on its October 2004 cover page. The photography and publishing
editors of this magazine published in Germany had chosen the worst
photograph they could find of such a magnificent city for their cover
page. Photographs of Istanbul, which is full of wonders and beauties
in every corner, were chosen as if with an approach of “which bad
side can I find” rather than of “what beauty can I capture.”
Venice is a foul smelling city even at a temperature of -2. This
city, which is referred to as the city of romance, is a place where
in reality the channels are full of pollution, the houses are not
plastered and are in bad condition. You cannot see; however, any
negative photographs or articles about Venice even in Turkey,
whereas, if Venice were in the Orient, the whole world would hear
about all the environmental pollution and smells from the canals
there. France, which carries the Armenian issue to the agenda the
most and which wants to blacken Turks and Muslims in this way, never
carries the massacres it committed in Algeria to the agenda. While it
did not say to history how it would pay for the cost for this, the
great sin of 500,000 massacred in Rwanda also belongs to France. I
don’t say here that if we did, you did, too. I only say to those
attempting to distribute justice: “Don’t forget your own murders!”
We have said that contemporary man makes decisions according to
images and symbols. He also constructs his truths on these images.
There are only a few who are interested in the details or the reality
of the issues. It is possible to stigmatize a big region through a
few negative pieces of information or images sprinkled in a film or
on the news. This negative image is not used only by Western media or
Westerners. Even the Turkish media approache everything belonging to
the Orient with an Orientalist point of view. For example, you may
well remember discussions of the Feast of the Sacrifice, articles and
photographs about it. Bloody images and not-yet-buried bowels were
published in newspapers. Television channels competed much to
broadcast images of escaping bulls kicking their masters and animals,
their legs knifed to make them lay down. In short, I don’t know how
one can explain the silence of France and Germany, who stood up by
saying that women are beaten in Turkey when their own demonstrators
were harshly beaten. Yet, their tolerance to their own sins is in
fact not new.

Armenian National Committee of Texas
11301 Richmond Ave. Suite K108
Houston, TX 77082
Tel: (281) 558-1918
PRESS RELEASE
April 29, 2005
Contact: Vrouir Frankian
Tel: (281) 558-1918
TEXAS ARMENIANS MARK ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
— Armenian Americans Expand Activity Across the Lone Star State
HOUSTON, TX – Civic, community, and educational initiatives marking
the 90th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide were in high gear
throughout the state of Texas this April, with Armenian Americans
securing proclamations from five key cities throughout the Lone
Star state leading up to a rally at the State Capitol on April
23rd, reported the Armenian National Committee of Texas (ANC-TX).
The state capital city of Austin was joined in marking the Genocide
by San Antonio, College Station, Galveston and Houston. Local
activists in each city, working as part of the Texas Joint
Committee for the 90th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide,
approached the Mayors and City Councils, raising awareness about
this crime against humanity. The texts of the resolutions are
provided below.
“The Texas Joint Committee for the 90th Anniversary of the Armenian
Genocide did an excellent job, motivating our community, educating
elected officials, and strengthening the advocacy capabilities of
the growing Texas Armenian community,” said ANC-TX spokesperson
Vatche Hovsepian. “We look forward to expanding our outreach in
support of national legislation on the Armenian Genocide and the
full range of issues of concerns to the Texas Armenian community.”
On April 23rd, over 400 Armenian Americans from throughout the
state, carrying Armenian and American flag, and banners calling for
recognition of the Armenian Genocide, arrived at the State Capitol
for a special 90th anniversary Genocide Observance. The event was
featured prominently in the Austin American-Statesman newspaper and
covered on several local television news channels.
The Texas Joint Committee worked closely with the Texas Senate to
secure adoption of a resolution marking the 90th anniversary of the
Armenian Genocide. While the Senate did recognize April 24 2005 as
“Armenian Martyrs Day,” the Texas Armenian community was
disappointed that the resolution fell short of properly
commemorating the Armenian Genocide as “genocide.” Efforts toward
an improved resolution have already begun for the next legislative
session.
Further away in El Paso, local activist Greg Yakoobian arranged for
a billboard on busy Interstate 10 calling for recognition of the
Armenian Genocide. Some 150,000 commuters see the red-blue-orange
background billboard daily, which reads “Turkey: 1,500,000 victims
say you MUST recognize the 90th Anniversary of the Armenian
Genocide, April 24, 1915”
Earlier in the year, the ANC of Texas worked extensively with the
Holocaust Museum of Houston to arrange “The Forgotten Genocide
Exhibit,” featured at the museum from March 29 – May 31, 2005. The
exhibit is part of a unified international effort to commemorate
the 90th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide and unite with
genocide survivors of all races and ethnicities. It includes a
newly created portrait, by artist Bob Schiffhaur of the German-
Jewish writer Frantz Werfel to accompany an early German edition of
his novel “Forty Days of Musa Dagh” based on the factual resistance
to the Genocide. Also there are artifacts, relics and shards of the
past that have these long 90 years preserved memories: a Bible, an
ancient rolled script, a hand-woven tablecloth and other items that
were part of daily life before the Genocide. From after the
Genocide there are postage stamps of the Near East Foundation to
help the orphans, children’s artwork to fund orphanages, survivors
handwritten notes from the 1930’s and 1950’s about their forever
lost villages.
A selection of the 1996 Glendale, CA based “Genocide Project”
contains some of the remaining survivors photographs and first hand
accounts. These are split images of faces and fingers. The
photographer Oshagan said “We wanted the discontinuity of the
killings, how their first life was stripped from them and a second
forced upon them, to show up in (these) sliced images.”
In addition to the exhibit, the Holocaust Museum of Houston will
also be hosting a lecture by William Parsons, Chief of Staff of the
U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum on May 26th at 6:30pm. Admission is
open to the public.
#####
————————————
Text of San Antonio, TX Proclamation
Commemorating the Armenian Genocide
————————————
City of San Antonio
Proclamation
WHEREAS, On April 24, 2005, Armenians around the world will
commemorate the 90th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide; and
WHEREAS, During the First World War, the Turkish Empire massacred
approximately 2.5 million men, women and children of the Armenian
population in the twentieth century’s first genocides; and
WHEREAS, Although the survivors of this massacre were scattered to
all parts of the world, they have maintained their identity and
unity, while passing along to each generation knowledge about their
language, history and culture; and
WHEREAS, The City of San Antonio joins in this observance, and
urges all citizen to commemorate this tragic event in world
history, and to strengthen our commitment to the cause of liberty
and justice for all.
NOW, Therefore, I, Edward D. Garza, Mayor of the City of San
Antonio, in recognition thereof, do hereby proclaim April 24, 2005
to be
“Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day”
In San Antonio, Texas.
In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and
caused the seal of the City of San Antonio to be
affixed this 21st day April, 2005.
————————————
Text of Austin, TX Proclamation
Commemorating the Armenian Genocide
————————————
PROCLAMAT ION
Be it known that
Whereas,
Between 1915 and 1923, prior to the establishment of the Republic
of Turkey, more than a million people of Armenian ancestry were
victims of a genocide perpetrated by the governments of the Ottoman
Empire; and,
Whereas,
We join with the Armenian-American citizen of Central Texas in
opposing such atrocities; and,
Whereas,
We, Likewise, join with the Armenian Community of Austin in
honoring the memory of these victims at ceremonies being held here
today;
Now, Therefore,
I, Will Wynn, Mayor of the City of Austin, Texas,
Do hereby proclaim
April 24, 2005
As
Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day
In Austin.
In witness whereof, I have hereunto
set my hand and caused the seal of the City
of Austin to be affixed this 19th Day
of April in the Year Two Thousand Five
————————————
Text of College Station, TX Proclamation
Commemorating the Armenian Genocide
————————————
Proclamation
Office of the Mayor, City of College Station
Whereas, On April 24, 2005, Armenians around the
world will commemorate the 90th anniversary
of the Armenian Genocide;
And
Whereas, during the First World War, the Turkish
Empire in an effort of general extermination
and elimination of all traces of a thriving
and noble civilization over 3,000 years old,
massacred approximately 1.5 million Armenian
men, women, and children in the twentieth
century’s first genocide; and
Whereas, although the survivors of this massacre were
scattered to all parts of the world, they
have maintained their identity and unity
through their church, passing along to each
generation not only a strong Christian faith
but a knowledge of their language, history
and culture; and
Whereas, the heroic struggles of the Armenian people
inspire and challenge us to cherish and
preserve the freedom that is ours;
And
Now Therefore, I, Ron Silvia, Mayor of the City of College
Station, Texas, and acting on behalf of the
City Council do hereby proclaim April 24,
2005, as
Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day
In College Station, Texas
————————————
Text of Houston, TX Proclamation
Commemorating the Armenian Genocide
————————————
Armenian Martyrs Day
WHEREAS, on April 24, 2005, Armenians around the world will
commemorate the 90th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide; during
the First World War, the Turkish Empire in an effort of general
extermination and elimination of all traces of a thriving and noble
civilization over 3,000 years old; of the Armenian population in
Eastern Turkey, massacred approximately 1.5 million men, women, and
children in the twentieth century’s first genocides; and
WHEREAS, although the survivors of this massacre were scattered to
all parts of the world, they have maintained their identity and
unity through their church, passing along to each generation not
only a strong Christian faith but a knowledge of their language,
history and culture; and
WHEREAS, the survivors and descendents of this genocide which drove
them from their homeland, recall and commemorate April 24, 1915 as
Armenian Martyr’s Day; and
WHEREAS, the heroic struggles of the Armenian people inspire and
challenge us to cherish and preserve the freedom that is ours; and
WHEREAS, on April 24, 2005, City of Houston residents will be
called together to commemorate the 90th Anniversary of the Armenian
Genocide of 1915; and
WHEREAS, this commemoration will serve as an appropriate time for
the people of the City of Houston and others to remember the 1.5
million Armenian men, women and children who lost their lives; and
Therefore, I, Bill White, Mayor of the City of Houston, hereby
proclaim April 24, 2005, as
Armenian Martyrs Day
In Houston, Texas.
————————————
Text of Galveston, TX Proclamation
Commemorating the Armenian Genocide
————————————
PROCLAMATIO N
We the Mayor and City Council, by virtue of the authority vested by
the City of Galveston, Texas, do proclaim
April 24, 2005
as
ARMENIAN MARTYRS DAY
in the City of Galveston
WHEREAS, City of Galveston and Armavir region in Armenia have been
sister cites since September 2001 through the University of Texas
Medical Branch healthcare and disaster preparedness collaboration
funded by AIHA-USAID; and
WHEREAS, On April 24th, 2005 Armenians around the world will
commemorate the 90th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide; during
the First World War, the Turkish Empire in an effort of general
extermination and elimination of all traces of a thriving and noble
civilization over 3,000 years old; of the Armenian population in
Eastern Turkey, massacred approximately 1.5 million men, women, and
children in the twentieth century’s first genocides; and
WHEREAS, The survivors and descendents of this genocide which drove
them from their homeland, recall and commemorate April 24, 1915 as
Armenian Martyr’s Day, and
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Mayor and City Council for the
City of Galveston, Texas does urge each and every citizen to join
our sister city and commemorate this tragic event in world history
and to strengthen our commitment to the cause of liberty and
justice in this and all other nations of the world.
In testimony whereof, witness my hand and Seal of the City of
Galveston, this 24th day of February 2005.