Author: Nalbandian Albert

LETTER TO FRESNO BEE, CA
Arra S. Avakian

Fresno Bee, CA
June 26 2008

‘Double-talk’ on genocide

I commend the editorial staff of The Bee for being tireless in
affirming its stand in declaring that there was a genocide perpetrated
by the Ottoman Turks against the Armenian people in the 1915-1921 era.

In your editorial, "In Washington and Turkey, denial of genocide goes
on" (June 19), you forthrightly declare, "So the rhetorical denial
continues in Washington and Turkey."

The editorial continues with "’The United States and the president
have never denied any of the events [but] we do not use the term
genocide to describe them,’ Assistant Secretary of State Daniel Fried
told the House Foreign Affairs Committee." How so, Mr. President?

What is pathetic, as it has been repeatedly pointed out by you and
others, including us, is that the very term "genocide" was coined
specifically to describe those deportations and massacres perpetrated
against the Armenian people (in their own homeland) by the Ottoman
Turks.

Yet, according to our president, there was wholesale deportation and
massacre, but there was no genocide. That is double-talk.

AZERBAIJANI MEDIA MISTAKES THE WISH FOR THE REALITY AGAIN

ArmInfo
2008-06-27 14:04:00

Press Secretary of Armenian Defense Minister Colonel Seyran
Shakhsouvaryan refuted another report by Azerbaijani Media on alleged
exercises of Armenian Armed

Forces in the area of the ‘security belt’ around NKR. Thus, S.

Shakhsouvaryan mentioned that the Armenian Armed Forces conduct
exercises in the territory of Armenia: ‘It is another question what
kind of exercises NKR Armed Forces conduct’. For his part, Press
Secretary of NKR Defense Minister Lt. Colonel Senor Asratyan told
ArmInfo that planned tactical exercises are currently conducted at
one of the NKR Defense Army subdivisions.

P.A.C.E. PASSES RESOLUTION

Hayots Ashkhar Daily
Published on June 26, 2008
Armenia

Late in the evening yesterday, the Parliamentary Assembly of the
Council of Europe passed the Resolution on "Armenia’s Compliance
with Resolution # 1609". Almost all the proposals of the Armenian
delegation were accepted.

Touching upon the most important provisions of the document, David
Haroutyunyan, Head of the Armenian delegation, singled out the right
to the freedom of assembly. It was particularly mentioned that the law
"On Holding Assemblies, Demonstrations, Marches and Rallies" should
be applied in a way not to make additional restrictions with respect
to those rights or the choice of the place.

The Resolution envisages special approach to the people sentenced under
Articles 225 and 300 of the Criminal Code; it proposes to speedily
release those who were not direct participants or accomplices in the
acts of violence. Under another provision, the Assembly considers
it impermissible to prosecute individuals based upon the police
testimonies only.

The Assembly also expresses regret that some of the opposition
activists won’t comply with the Resolution’s requirement to recognize
the election results and the decision of the Constitutional Court.

The Armenian authorities are offered to discuss all the possible
mechanisms (amnesty, pardon etc.) for the release of the individuals
who didn’t resort to violence during the March 1-2 disorders. Special
attention was paid to the activities of the interim parliamentary
committee in terms of increasing its independence and transparency
of work, As mentioned by D. Haroutyunyan, some changes have been
introduced to clause 6 of the Resolution (on granting a license to
"A1+" TV Company without delay), taking into consideration the fact
that under the relevant law of the Republic of Armenia, a license
cannot be granted directly. "Thus, the process should be carried out
on competitive bases; however, it is necessary to ensure open and
transparent opportunities for all the participants of the contest,"
Head of the delegation clarified.

ARMENIAN NATIONAL MOVEMENT IS PUZZLED IN VIEW OF RA PRESIDENT’S STATEMENT ON ARMENIAN- TURKISH RELATIONS

ArmInfo
2008-06-26 11:30:00

The Armenian National Movement, headed by the first President of
Armenia Levon Ter-Petrosyan, spread a statement today expressing
bewilderment in view of the statements of RA President Serzh Sargsyan
made in Moscow on June 23 concerning the Armenian-Turkish relations.

To recall, RA President Serzh Sargsyan said on June 23 at the meeting
with representatives of the Armenian community of Moscow that he
is going to invite his Turkish counterpart Abdullah Gul to the
football match in Yerevan. S. Sargsyan emphasized unambiguousness
of Armenia’s position according to which "there should be no closed
borders between the neighbouring countries in 21 Century". However,
having recalled that the Turkish party offers to form a commission to
study the historical facts, RA president said that Yerevan does not
object to creation of such a commission "but after the borders between
our states are open, otherwise, it may become a way of speculation
by this problem".

The Armenian National Movement’s statement, received by ArmInfo today,
says that S. Sargsyan has become the first president of Armenia who
officially agreed to Turkey’s proposal to question the fact of the
Genocide. We condemn this dangerous statement of S. Sargsyan which will
be undoubtedly responded by the people of Armenia and the Armenians
of the whole world>, the statement says.

ACCORDING TO EDWARD ANTINIAN, LPPA ACTIVITY RETURNS TO LEGAL PLANE

NOYAN TAPAN

JU NE 25

"The Liberal-Progressive Party of Armenia (LPPA), on June 22, at last
convened its second special congress, therefore, party’s activity was
brought from the illegal plane to the legal one," Edward Antinian,
the newly elected Chairman of LPPA, stated at the June 25 press
conference. He said that party’s founding congress took place in
2004 and former LPPA Chairman Hovhannes Hovhannisian has not held
a congress since then, while the RA legislation stipulates that
parties should hold a congress at least once every two years. As
regards sittings of LPPA Political Board, according to E. Antinian,
they have been constantly held under the conditions of no quorum.

He stated that the decision to support first RA President Levon
Ter-Petrosian in the presidential elections was also made with
no quorum.

Therefore, according to E. Antinian, that decision is deprived of
legal bases. Meanwhile he explained that he and his co-thinkers are
not against supporting L. Ter-Petrosian, but consider that such and
any other decision should be made only legally. "If now the Political
Board decides to join the National Movement, it will be just this way,"
he said.

The newly elected LPPA leader touched upon the "hints" in press,
according to which the disagreements in LPPA are caused by the RA
authorities, which wish to take away one party from L. Ter-Petrosian’s
team. E. Antinian addressing to journalists said: "Are you of such
a high opinion about these authorities, do you think that they have
done and finished all their duties and now are establishing law and
order inside opposition parties?."

YEREVAN CONDUCTING WEEK OF NATO

Interfax News Agency
June 24 2008
Russia

The Week of NATO in Armenia officially began in Yerevan on Monday.

"The Week of NATO is an important event Armenia is carrying out
within the framework of the Armenia-NATO individual partnership action
program," Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister Gegam Garibjanian said.

This event aims to inform the public on Armenian-NATO cooperation,
the deputy minister said.

It is expected that high-ranking NATO officials, in particular NATO
Assistant Secretary General for Public Diplomacy Jean-Francois Bureau,
will visit Armenia during the Week of NATO.

A final meeting to plan a NATO exercise meant to take place in
Armenia this fall will be held in Yerevan on Tuesday. According to
the Armenian Defense Ministry, 429 officers, including 84 Armenian
officers, will take part in the exercise slated for September 26 –
October 7. The field exercise slated for October 5 – 21 will bring
together 748 soldiers, including 320 from Armenia.

Yerevan will host an international conference on how to prevent and
stave off cyber-attacks within the Week of NATO on June 24 – 25.

PACE PRESIDENT TO VISIT ARMENIA AND AZERBAIJAN IN JULY

PanARMENIAN.Net
24.06.2008

There are still serious concerns in the Caucasus, both in the wake
of the presidential elections in Armenia and in the run-up to those
in Azerbaijan, PACE President said.

"I shall be visiting these two countries in July. I shall also try to
organize an early visit to Georgia, whose internal political situation
is upset by the threats to its national security and sovereignty
in Abkhazia and Southern Ossetia," Lluis Maria de Puig said in his
opening remarks to PACE summer session.

Commenting on the functioning of democratic institutions in Turkey, he
said, "It is normal for people in any democracy to have different ideas
and views. The main thing is that disputes are settled by democratic
means, in compliance with the Council of Europe’s values. I hope that
the Turkish institutions will shoulder their responsibilities in this
area. But we too have a responsibility, that of providing Turkey with
a clear, unequivocal European perspective."

DOCUMENT ADDRESSED TO EUROPEAN UNION WITH RECOMMENDATION FOR SUPPORTING IN STATE FINANCING OF PRIVATE NEWS AGENCIES PREPARED WITHIN FRAMEWORKS OF IPI WORLD CONGRESS

Noyan Tapan

Ju ne 20, 2008

BELGRAD, JUNE 20, ARMENIANS TODAY – NOYAN TAPAN. Mainly issues on
the foreign policy of the United States of America were touched upon
during the discussion of the last day of the General Assembly of
the International Press Institute (IPI) 57th World Congress, being
held these days in Belgrad, the capital of Serbia. It was conducted
by Jill Abramson, the Director General of the New York Times. Among
those, who made speeches, an especially sharp criticism was voiced by
Hafez Mirazi, the Washington Bureau Chief for Al Jazeera Television
and the Vice Chairman of Al Hayat. Article 19 of the UN Declaration
on Human Rights was discussed in the final part of the congress.

Discussion entitled "The problems and solutions existing in the
south-eastern Europe" were held for the members of the Associations of
Private News Agencies (APNA) at the parallelly proceeding session. As
a result of these discussions a declaration addressed to the European
Union with a recommendation for supporting in state financing of
private news agencies was prepared.

Within the frameworks of non-formal meetings Ashot Grigorian, the
Chairman of the Forum of Armenian Associations in Europe and the
Head of the Center of Noyan Tapan agency in Europe, met with Umud
Mirzoev, the Head of the International Information Institute from
Azerbaijan, and Azer Hasret, the representative of the "Freedom
of expression network" organization of the Central Asia and South
Caucasus. Co-existence problems in the territory of the South Caucasus,
in particular, problems concerning the futher co-existence and possible
cooperation of the Azeri and Armenian peoples were discussed. Tha
sides agreed to prepare journalistic speeches, mentioning the necessary
steps for providing the peace and co-existence of the region.

The points of view expressed by Ashot Grigorian and his Azeri
colleagues will be introduced in the form of a separate briefing one
of these days.

The last session of the South East Europe Medial Organisation (SEEMO)
entitled Media, Marketing and Business took place on June 18.

ARMENIAN ARMY NOT TO LACK FUNDING – PRESIDENT

Interfax News Agency
June 19 2008
Russia

Despite the existing social-economic problems in Armenia, the Armenian
Armed Forces will not lack funding, Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan
announced Thursday, addressing the country’s top military, Armenian
TV channels report.

Sargsyan pledged to double his efforts to prevent financial shortages
in the army.

"All necessary means will be earmarked for our country’s
protection. And your task is to use them effectively," the president
said.

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

PRESS RELEASE
June 19, 2008
Contact: Michael A Zachariades
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (202) 393-3434

SENATOR ROBERT MENENDEZ QUESTIONS AMBASSADORIAL NOMINEE YOVANOVITCH ON
THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE DURING FOREIGN RELATIONS COMMITTEE HEARING

Armenian Assembly of America reserves judgment until it reads nominee’s
responses to written questions

Washington, DC – Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) posed a series of
questions to the Administration’s nominee to serve as Ambassador
Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the
Republic of Armenia, Ambassador Marie L. Yovanovitch during today’s
Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing, reported the Armenian
Assembly of America (Assembly).

In her opening statement, Yovanovitch stated the U.S. government
"acknowledges and mourns the mass killings, ethnic cleansing, and forced
deportations that devastated over one and a half million Armenians at
the end of the Ottoman Empire. The United States recognizes these
events as one of the greatest tragedies of the 20th century, the Medz
Yeghern or Great Calamity, as Armenians refer to it."

During the question and answer period, Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ)
provided Yovanovitch with several historical documents, including cables
from U.S. Ambassador Henry Morgenthau, U.S. Ambassador Abram Elkus, U.S.
Consul Jesse Jackson, U.S. Consul Leslie Davis, as well as Article II of
the UN Genocide Convention and President George Bush’s 2004 April 24th
Statement.

Menendez asked her to acknowledge each, to which she replied in the
affirmative. Senator Menendez also asked if she believed that the facts
she presented in her opening statement fit the definition of Article II
of the Genocide Convention. Yovanovitch responded that it was a policy
decision, which she was not authorized to make.

Menendez repeated that he was not looking for policy, but rather he
wanted to know if the 1.5 million Armenians that were exiled and
murdered fell into that category. Yovanovitch again reiterated that "it
is a policy decision."

In closing, Menendez said "it is a shame that career Foreign Service
Officers have to be brought before the committee and find difficulty in
acknowledging historical facts and find difficulty in acknowledging the
realities of what has been internationally recognized, Mr. Chairman….
The International Association of Genocide Scholars, the pre-eminent
authority on genocide, has unanimously, not equivocated, unanimously
declared the Armenian Genocide a genocide and it is amazing to me that
we can talk about a million and a half human beings who were
slaughtered, we can talk about those who were raped, we can talk about
those who were forcibly pushed out of their country and we can have
presidential acknowledgements of that but then we cannot call it what it
is.

"It is a ridiculous stance that the Administration is doing over the use
of the term genocide. It is an attempt to suggest that we don’t want to
strain our relationships with Turkey but I have to say the fact that we
are sending off our diplomats in such a manner, that they are not able
to recognize a historical event that is clearly documented by credible,
objective historians, an event that is so tragic, an event that the
recognition of which is so personal for millions of Armenians and
descendants of Armenians, many of whom are Americans, is also something
that I think is detrimental to our foreign policy."

"The Armenian Assembly applauds the continued efforts of Senator
Menendez for ensuring that the facts of the Armenian Genocide are
brought to the forefront and not denied. We concur with the Senator
that the Administration’s current policy is fundamentally flawed and
that our long-term interests would be better served by speaking the
truth as opposed to trying to placate a foreign government," said
Armenian Assembly Executive Director Bryan Ardouny.

At the onset of the hearing, former Senator Robert Dole (R-KS) addressed
the Committee speaking in favor of the nomination of Ambassador
Yovanovitch, whom he described as "an outstanding person who will do an
outstanding job." He ended his remarks by saying, "God Bless America and
God Bless Armenia."

In a recent interview, Armenia’s Ambassador to the United States,
Ambassador Tatoul Markarian stated that the Armenian government has
already given its agreement to the official U.S. request on the
Ambassador’s candidacy. Ambassador Markarian added that the Armenian
government hopes "that the nominee will be confirmed successfully and
arrive in Armenia shortly" and that they "look forward to having a
full-time American Ambassador in Yerevan."

If confirmed, Yovanovitch pledged to work to open the borders closed by
Turkey and Azerbaijan and resolve the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, as well
as attend the commemoration of the Armenian Genocide at the
Tsitsernakaberd Memorial in Yerevan.

The next step in the confirmation process is to allow Senators to submit
questions in writing to the nominee. It is anticipated that the Senate
Foreign Relations Committee will hold a business committee meeting prior
to the July 4th Congressional recess to vote on the nominees considered
today.

The Ambassadorial position has remained vacant since September 10, 2006,
when then Ambassador John M. Evans’s tour of duty was ended as U.S.
Ambassador to Armenia. Evans was recalled after he acknowledged the
Armenian Genocide during a public tour in February 2005, relying on the
International Center for Transitional Justice (ICTJ) report, and other
such impartial works.

The Bush Administration named Ambassador Richard Hoagland as Evans’s
replacement in May 2006. After extensive questioning, Hoagland was
approved by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee by a vote of 13 to 5.
However, in the end, Hoagland was not confirmed as Senator Robert
Menendez (D-NJ) placed a hold on his confirmation stating that the
nominee should properly recognize the Armenian Genocide. When the
Hoagland nomination was withdrawn, the Assembly welcomed it at that time
if it signaled a change in policy.

The Armenian Assembly has a fundamental policy disagreement with the
Bush Administration regarding affirmation of the Armenian Genocide and
has repeatedly urged the Administration to reaffirm the historical truth
as President Ronald Reagan did in 1981.

Similarly, the 1993 court decision in Krikorian v. Department of State
the D.C. Federal Court of Appeals confirmed that U.S. policy recognizes
the Armenian Genocide, which harkens back to the 1951 U.S. filing with
the International Court of Justice (ICJ) concerning the United Nations
Genocide Convention squarely acknowledging the Armenian Genocide.
The document reads in part:

The Genocide Convention resulted from the inhuman and barbarous
practices which prevailed in certain countries prior to and during World
War II, when entire religious, racial and national minority groups were
threatened with and subjected to deliberate extermination. The practice
of genocide has occurred throughout human history. The Roman persecution
of the Christians, the Turkish massacres of Armenians, the extermination
of millions of Jews and Poles by the Nazis are outstanding examples of
the crime of genocide.

After decades of denial and cajoling by Turkey and its apologists, the
time has long since come for unequivocal U.S. affirmation.

While strongly pushing for Genocide affirmation to ensure U.S.
affirmation of the Armenian Genocide, the Assembly also believes that
having a U.S. Ambassador to Armenia is critically important for
U.S.-Armenia relations. As the Assembly previously stated:

Democracy in Armenia is still a work in progress and an U.S. Ambassador
can play an important role in strengthening Armenia’s democratic process
and ensuring free and fair elections…The Armenian Assembly of America
salutes former Ambassador John Evans for speaking the truth and for his
efforts in working to strengthen Armenia’s democratic institutions.

While no U.S. Ambassador has affirmed the Armenian Genocide during
Senate confirmation hearings, the Armenian-American community rightly
expects that any U.S. ambassadorial nominee to Armenia, or anyone in the
U.S. diplomatic service, properly understands and refers to the Armenian
Genocide.

Previous Ambassadors, once they arrived in Armenia and visited the
Armenian Genocide Memorial, would later go on to publicly acknowledge
the Armenia Genocide, as did Evans and former Ambassador Harry J.
Gilmore. As such, the Assembly urges the U.S. not to ignore its proud
record in helping to save the genocide survivors, in what then U.S.
Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire Henry Morgenthau described as a
"campaign of race extermination." Senator Menendez made certain today
that the U.S. record was not ignored.

Yovanovitch, a career member of the Foreign Service, currently serves as
Ambassador to the Kyrgyz Republic. Prior to this, she served as Senior
Advisor to the Under Secretary for Political Affairs at the Department
of State. Earlier in her career, she served as Deputy Chief of Mission
in Kiev. Yovanovitch received her bachelor’s degree from Princeton
University and her master’s degree from the National War College.

Established in 1972, the Armenian Assembly of America is the largest
Washington-based nationwide organization promoting public understanding
and awareness of Armenian issues. The Assembly is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt
membership organization.

###

NR#2008-055

Editor’s Note: Yovanovitch testimony and Senator Statements attached.

Ambassador Marie L Yovanovitch
08_new/Ambassador_Hearing/Testimon
y_of_Marie_Yova novitch__Amb_Designate_to_Armenia__6.19.08_SFRC.pd f

Senator Barbara Boxer
s/PR_-_2008/May_-_June/Sen_B
oxer_Statement_Amb_Yo vanovitch.pdf

Senator Dick Lugar
/Ambassador_Hearing/Dick_Lug
ar_-_Nominations_Hear ing_Statement.pdf

Question and Answer Transcription, Yovanovitch, Menendez
ages/PR_-_2008/May_-_June/Yovan
ovitch_QandA_Menen dez.pdf