Author: Nalchajian Markos

KARABAKH CAN BE EXAMPLE OF ARMISTICE MAINTENANCE

PanARMENIAN.Net
14.04.2008 13:14 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armistice in the territory of all frozen conflicts
should be maintained as it’s done in Nagorno Karabakh, without
interference of peacekeepers, a Georgian political scientist said.

"Armenians and Azerbaijanis managed to come to terms.

If they can preserve armistice, Georgians and Abkhazians should do
the same. However, it will be possible only if Russian peacekeepers
are withdrawn," Georgia’s Republican Party member Paata Zakareishvili
told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter.

"Presence of Russian peacekeepers and supposed arrival of Ukrainian
forces is offensive for Georgians and Abkhazians. We can arrive at
an agreement ourselves.

True, no breakthrough is expected in the near future but changes are
likely after the May 21 parliamentary elections," he said.

"The Nagorno Karabakh and the Georgian-Abkhazian conflicts are similar
because neither of the parties wants to compromise," the Georgian
expert said.

INDUSTRIAL CENTER OF ARMENIAN RELIEF CROSS OF LEBANON TO BE PROVIDED WITH MODERN EQUIPMEMT WORTH 12.5 THOUSAND DOLLARS

Noyan Tapan
April 10, 2008

BEIRUT, APRIL 10, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. "Akhatamar" industrial
center of the Armenian Relief Cross of Lebanon will be provided with
modern equipment worth about 12.5 thousand USD, which will allow the
center to increase its production and improve its quality.

The German embassy in Lebanon will give this equipment to the center.

According to the regional department of the Armenian Relief Cross
of Lebanon, the respective agreement was signed between "Akhtamar"
center and the German embassy on April 2.

JAVIER SOLANA CONGRATULATES SERGE SARGSYAN ON ASSUMING OFFICE

armradio.am
09.04.2008 15:43

The Secretary General of the Council of the European Union, EU High
Commissioner Javier Solana congratulated Serge Sargsyan on assuming
the office of the President of the Republic of Armenia. The message
says, in part

"Dear President, Let me congratulate you on assuming the office of
the President of the Republic of Armenia. I wish you success in your
responsible position.

The European Union has been closely watching the post-election
developments after February 19 and is aware of all the problems you
face from the moment of assuming office. At the same time, we welcome
your calls for cooperation in the transition period.

The European Union is reaady to support you in the process of
overcoming these challenges. We continue the independent investigation
of the post-election events and follow the process of releasing
the arrested politicians, the open dialogue with the opposition,
as well as attach importance to the restoration of full freedom as
a component of raising trust.

I hope our relations will continue developing in the future."

SERGE SARGSYAN INTENDS TO MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO CREATE ATMOSPHERE OF MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING IN ARMENIA

ARKA
April 9, 2008

YEREVAN, April 9. /ARKA/. Armenian President Serge Sargsyan said
Wednesday at his inauguration that he is ready to make every effort
to create the atmosphere of mutual understanding in the country.

He said he is ready to do whatever necessary to rid the country of
polarization and brutal clashes.

Sargsyan said that all agencies, political organizations, NGOs and
the whole community must unite their efforts to develop Armenia into
"a country of dream".

He stressed the role of the president in the nation unification.

He said the president must resort to all means to push ahead the
best ideas.

Sargsyan said he will seek cooperation with all political parties to
put national ideas into reality.

He said he intends to promote the change in the treatment of
intellectuals in Armenia.

He also voiced his intention to strengthen Armenian Apostolic Church.

DeFacto Agency, Armenia
April 5 2008

US CONGRESSMEN AGAIN REMINDED OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

YEREVAN, 04.04.08. DE FACTO. On March 31, 2008, Congressman Frank
Pallone (D-NJ-6) paid tribute on the House floor in memory of
Armenian Genocide survivor Askouhy Jallyan-Vassilian who passed away
on February 27th, 2008, shortly after celebrating her 94th birthday,
Armenian National Committee of America, Eastern region (ANCA-ER)
reports. To note, Vassilian, who was present during the House Foreign
Affairs Committee markup of H. Res. 106, the Armenian Genocide
Resolution, on October 10, 2007, lived in Cong. Pallone’s district,
and was one of the remaining survivors of the genocide.
Following Cong. Pallone’s remarks, her son, Dr. Asbed Vassilian, a
professor of chemistry and director of the Armenian Studies Program
at Rutgers University in New Jersey, reflected on Cong. Pallone’s
statement with the following:
`’Regarding my mother, she just wanted justice to prevail and that
all those who perished in 1915 and who did not have any descendents
as she did as a survivor, should be recognized and their memories
should eternally be kept alive… Having seen and experienced the good,
the bad and the ugly, my mother had a calming effect on the new
generation whenever they came and complained about the problems they
were having in their lives. She would tell them to be happy with what
they have, and not sad or angry with what they lack; mainly, count
your blessings and thank God. She would tell them to look at the
problems with the microscope inverted: rather than seeing small
things big, try to see the big things small. She was a happy,
energetic, sharp minded, and most importantly, content, reconciled
with her life, with its ups and downs. She was thankful to the St.
Stepanos Church community for giving her the spiritual nourishment
and to her new host country, the United States, for taking care of
her over so many years. I will always miss her”.
In his speech Frank Pallone mentioned, in part, `Mrs.
Jallyan-Vassilian was a survivor of the genocide inflicted upon the
Armenian people. She was the embodiment of the enduring human spirit.

Mrs. Jallyan-Vassilian was born Askouhy Jallyan on February 12, 1914,
in Orfa, Turkey. Her mother, Khanem, had married in 1913 and was 18
years old when she gave birth to her only daughter. Khanem was
widowed in 1915 when her husband, Nazaret, was murdered. Mrs.
Jallyan-Vassilian was able to flee the horrors of genocide when she
escaped with her mother to neighboring Syria’.
`On October 10, 2007, Mrs. Jallyan-Vassilian attended a markup
session of the House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs
as it worked on a resolution recognizing the deplorable deprivation
of human rights that had occurred during the Armenian genocide. She
had waited 92 years for the United States Congress to recognize the
genocide and suffering that her people had endured at the hands of
hate and intolerance.
Mrs. Jallyan-Vassilian passed away on February 27, 2008. She will be
remembered for her devotion to her Armenian heritage and her
commitment to the cause of those Armenians who suffered wanton
violence and cruelty’, he concluded.

RECOGNITION OF KARABAKH BY ARMENIA SHOULD NOT BE A "SINGLE SHOT"

KarabakhOpen
03-04-2008 16:36:42

Interview with the ex-deputy foreign minister of NKR Masis Mayilyan

Mr. Mayilyan, what is you attitude toward the statement of the acting
president of Armenia Robert Kocharyan regarding the possibility of
recognition of NKR? What positive and negative results may it produce
and in what conditions is it possible?

It is gratifying that Armenia brings up the idea of the legal
recognition of NKR. However, such a move on behalf of the Republic
of Armenia, to put it figuratively, should not be a single shot. It
must be followed by similar statements by other countries. If no
preparations have been made, it is necessary to get to work as new
international relations are being established.

Theoretically, it would be desirable if Azerbaijan were among countries
which will recognize NKR first. In that case the conflict would be
settled, and opportunities for effective regional cooperation,
beneficial for all the nations of the South Caucasus, would
appear. However, since our neighbors are not ready for such actions,
NKR and Armenia must pursue a policy on the Karabakh issue in two
parallel directions. On the one hand, it is necessary to resume the
talks in the full three-party format under the aegis of the OSCE
Minsk Group, on the other hand, it is necessary to work with separate
countries and international organizations for the de jure recognition
of NKR. Such an approach is positive in every sense since the least
success on the second track will help the Minsk process move toward
progress.

A "solo" recognition of NKR by Armenia would be of vital
necessity in case of armed aggression against NKR on behalf of
Azerbaijan. Meanwhile, in this phase it would be expedient to establish
a legal basis for the military cooperation of the two states. It
will help solve a number of issues, including that of the military
service of volunteers from Armenia in the NKR Army of Defense. It is
evident that the NKR Army of Defense defends not only the border of
NKR but also the eastern border of the Republic of Armenia, from the
ridge of Mrav to the Armenian and Iranian border in the south. It
is also necessary to set down in an interstate agreement the status
of the Republic of Armenia as a guarantor of the security of NKR and
its people.

Recently Azerbaijan has been trying to replace the members of the
Minsk group. Is it possible and how may it affect the settlement of
the Karabakh issue?

The recent actions of the Azerbaijani side were like blackmail rather
than real steps toward changing the staff of the co-chairs or to
thwart the Minsk process. The point is that besides Azerbaijan there
are other sides of the conflict, and the choice of mediators is not
make by one of them. All the three sides should agree.

To some extent, this blackmail was successful. I was a little surprised
by the excusing tone of the interview of one of the co-chairs.

A conference on the development of the region was held in Kashatagh
which admitted that so far there has been no policy on settlement. Do
the social programs in Kashatagh indicate a change in the stance of
the Armenian side on the process of settlement of the conflict?

The fact of holding a conference in Kashatagh is positive. But it
is possible to judge about the policy of settlement of the liberated
territories by the efforts that must be made after the conference. If
infrastructures are laid out in the regions (such as gas pipelines
Berdzor-Minjnavan, Askeran-Aghdam-Martakert, Drmbon-Karvachar, others),
then we may talk about serious approaches.

PKK REMOVED FROM TERROR LIST

PanARMENIAN.Net
03.04.2008 18:04 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ A European Union court on Thursday overturned the
bloc’s decision to place the Kurdish rebel group PKK and its political
wing on the EU terror list.

The Luxembourg-based EU Court of First Instance said that decisions
made by EU governments in 2002 and 2004 to blacklist the two groups
and freeze their assets violated the bloc’s law.

It is the latest of several court decisions overturning similar EU
decisions on the grounds that the groups added to the terror list
were not properly informed of the decision to blacklist them nor
given a right to appeal the decision.

The court said the autonomy-seeking PKK, or Kurdistan Workers Party,
and its political wing, known as KONGRA-GEL, were not in positions
"to understand, clearly and unequivocally, the reasoning" that led
European Union governments to add them to the terror list.

The PKK was added to the list in 2002, after the Sept.

11, 2001, attacks in the United States. Its political wing was added
in 2004. The United States and Turkey also list the PKK as a terrorist
organization.

Fighting between the guerrillas and Turkish troops has claimed more
than 37,000 lives since 1984.

The EU has about 60 organizations and individuals on its terrorist
list, the Associated Press reports.

APRIL 7 GENOCIDE EDUCATION AWARENESS PANEL TO BE HELD IN NEW YORK CITY

DeFacto Agency
April 3 2008
Armenia

YEREVAN, 03.04.08. DE FACTO. On April 7, 2008, at the Tishman
Auditorium at New York University Law School from Armenian National
Committee of America Eastern Region (ANCA-ER) Executive Director Karine
Birazian will be participating on a panel organized by Miracle Corners
of the World (MCW) and Jacqueline’s Human Rights Corner for an event
entitled "’Never Again?’: Implications and Actions around the World",
ANCA-ER reports.

"It is such an honor to participate with Miracle Corners of the World
on this upcoming panel which will also mark the 14th Anniversary
of the Rwandan Genocide," commented Birazian. "Having recently met
with the organizer of the event, Rwandan Genocide survivor Jacqueline
Murekatete, it was moving to hear her story and the ongoing need for
genocide education awareness."

To note, Birazian is active on genocide education and has lectured
at several high schools as well as at the National Council for Social
Studies (NCSS), where she has spoken out on the importance of taking
action against genocide.

It should be mentioned that Murekatete founded Jacqueline’s Human
Rights Corner, a genocide prevention education program. Through
her work, she has helped educate thousands on the Rwandan Genocide
and genocide prevention. Having survived the Rwandan Genocide,
which claimed the lives of 1,000,000 victims in only three months,
Murekatete since then has been a global advocate for genocide education
and awareness. At the age of 9, she had lost her parents, six siblings,
and a grandmother due to the mass killings.

The event is expected to bring together genocide survivors from around
the world and world-renowned genocide prevention educators and voices
to examine the crime and reality of genocide in the 20th and 21st
centuries. They will discuss how the phrase "Never Again" has yet to
be fully implemented by the international community, and share how
individuals can work together to create a world without genocide.

To note, MCW was founded in 1999 as a non-profit organization serving
youth worldwide, primarily through programs of youth leadership,
community development, and healthcare.

MCW empowers youth to become positive agents of change, improve their
lives, and contribute to their own communities. To achieve its mission,
MCW uses entrepreneurial approaches to benefit youth worldwide,
working closely with a global network of friends, volunteers, and
supporters from the public, private, and non-profit sectors. For
more information about the April 7th event, as well as other events,
please visit:

AZERBAIJANI PARLIAMENT DISCUSSES ACTIVITIES OF OSCE MINSK GROUP’S CO-CHAIRS

Trend News Agency
April 1 2008
Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan, Baku, 1 April / TrendNews corr I. Alizade/ The members
of Azerbaijani Parliament urge to send protest letters to all the
countries, particularly to the co-chairing countries of the OSCE Minsk
Group (USA, Russia, France), which voted against the Resolution on
the Occupied Territory of Azerbaijan at the UN General Assembly.

"The Azerbaijani Parliament should express its attitude to the
question. The friendship groups of the parliament should send protest
letters to the countries which voted against or abstained from voting,"
MP Mubariz Gurbanli, the Deputy Executive Secretary of the governing
New Azerbaijan Party (NAP), said at the Parliament on 1 April.

The Resolution which was supported by 39 UN member countries calls
to respect and support the sovereignty and territorial integrity
of Azerbaijan within the borders which were recognized by the world
community.

The OSCE Minsk Group’s Co-chairs believe that the UN Resolution, which
was initiated by Baku, creates obstacles for continuation of peaceful
negotiations for the settlement of Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict.

According to Gurbanli, the recent resolution which was passed at the
UN General Assembly is the success of Azerbaijani diplomacy. He urges
the Parliament first of all to send protest letters to the co-chairing
countries of the Minsk Group.

MP Zahid Oruj said that the Azerbaijani Parliament should discuss
the activities and recent steps of the OSCE Minsk Group.

"The Azerbaijani Parliament should send protest letters to the
countries which voted against the Resolution. At the same time,
gratitude letters should be send to the countries which voted in
favour of the document," MP Ali Masimov said.

MP Gudrat Hasanguliyev believes that the situation that occurred around
the solution of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict should be discussed in the
Parliament. "The discussions should be held in the Parliament with
the participation of President and Government. The latest discussion
in UN demonstrates that not only Russia, but the west countries are
also interested that the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict should remain in
the frozen state. We should state openly to the population that the
peaceful settlement of Nagorno-Karabakh is impossible."

Hasanguliyev supported the initiative to sent protest letters to the
countries which voted against the resolution and gratitude letters
to the countries which voted in favour of it.

MP Ganira Pashayeva proposed to discuss the activity of OSCE Minsk
group co-chairs in the Parliament. Parliament must express its relation
to this issue, she said.

MPs Ikram Israfil, Sabir Rustamkhanli, Fazil Gazanfaroglu, Siyavush
Novruzov, Panah Huseyn also supported the initiative to address
letters to UN.

Ziyafat Askarov, the First Vice Speaker, stated that Azerbaijan does
not intend to refuse from mediation of OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs. "I
support ideas stated in connection with the activity of Minsk Group.

Minsk Group does not consist of only three countries, which voted
against Azerbaijan, he said.

Askarov noted that Azerbaijan expected that during the discussions
in UN, the Minsk Group will abstain from voting, as the mediators
should not support either of the side "Presently, there is neither
international law norms, nor its logic. The international law has
become forceful law".

Commentary: Preventing future genocides

By Howard L. Jaffe and Laura Boghosian

Mon Mar 31, 2008, 05:53 PM EDT

nions/x1279459013

The Lexington Minuteman
Lexington, Massachusetts

LEXINGTON – We write this piece, a Jew (in fact, a rabbi) and an
Armenian, to express our mutual disappointment in the failure of the
Jewish community to take a more active, principled stand on
recognition of the Armenian Genocide than has been taken to date.

Ironically, the term `genocide’ was coined by a Jew, Raphael Lemkin,
in response to the 1915-1923 Turkish massacres of Armenians. Lemkin, a
jurist, was appalled that Turkish `criminals were guilty of genocide
and were not punished.’ This impunity later emboldened Adolph Hitler
who proclaimed, `Who, after all, speaks today of the annihilation of
the Armenians?’

The word `genocide’ has been applied not only to the Holocaust, but to
massacres from Cambodia to Darfur. The call for similar recognition of
the Armenian Genocide has come from many quarters, including the
International Association of Genocide Scholars (IAGS). Over 20
countries, the Vatican, the European Parliament, and a United Nations
sub-commission have officially affirmed the Armenian Genocide, as have
40 U.S. states including Massachusetts. Presidents since Woodrow
Wilson have referenced the Armenian massacres, but only Ronald Reagan
employed the term `genocide.’ The House of Representatives has twice
passed resolutions recognizing the Armenian Genocide as such, but the
Senate has never done so, leaving America in the shameful position of
not being on record on the right side of this issue.

What is especially troubling is that while Jewish Holocaust scholars
and some Jewish groups have recognized the Armenian Genocide, most
Jewish bodies have not. And the one organization whose mission
statement includes thewords `to secure justice and fair treatment to
all’ – the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) – has steadfastly refused to
issue a strong, unambiguous acknowledgement of the Armenian Genocide.

More disturbing, the ADL has joined others in lobbying against
official U.S. affirmation in deference to Israel’s strategic alliance
with Turkey, which threatens retaliation against countries recognizing
the genocide.

The ADL’s position is simply not justifiable. Recently, three
prominent Israeli genocide scholars condemned an Israeli ambassador’s
comments supporting Turkish genocide denial by writing that Israel’s
relationship with Turkey `does not require public displays of
obsequiousness and participation in genocide denial.’

Even if Turkey’s threats are not mere saber rattling, as many believe,
the consequences to Israel are not great enough to legitimize the
ADL’s actions. By engaging in such realpolitik, the ADL forfeits its
moral authority to speak on matters of conscience. Thus, the ADL must
choose: itis impossible to function simultaneously as a human rights
organization andas an advocate for any sovereign nation. Conflict is
inevitable, as became apparent last fall when numerous Boston-area
communities, including Lexington, voted to sever ties with the ADL due
to its unacceptable stance.

Although the ADL’s New England region and its former director, Andrew
Tarsy, attempted to alter portions of the national organization’s
policy on the Armenian Genocide, they were unsuccessful in effecting
meaningful change. Sadly, the New England chairman later said he was
`comfortable’ with national ADL’s position.

Yet last year’s events have awakened some in the Jewish community to
the continuing injustice done the Armenians. We are hopeful that the
efforts of those attempting to alter the policies of the ADL and other
national Jewish organizations from within will succeed and that more
will join in working to promote Congressional legislation officially
acknowledging the Armenian Genocide. Through such joint activism,
change will occur.

Why is this important? Because by neglecting to acknowledge all
genocides and by failing to condemn decisively genocide denial,
individuals, organizations, and governments do immeasurable harm – not
only to the victims and their descendants, but to future generations
whom they put at risk.

Genocide scholar Israel Charny brands denial a renewed attack on the
victimgroup that mocks its suffering and celebrates the success of the
genocide. Current IAGS President Gregory Stanton warns that genocide
denial `is among the surest indicators of further genocidal
massacres.’

As the field of genocide studies has grown in recent years, the nexus
of the Jewish and Armenian experiences has become ever more apparent,
leading to conferences, papers and books that explore the inextricably
interwoven threads of these two dark chapters of the 20th
century. However, few remembrancesof one community have been shared
with the other.

As part of the Friday, May 2 Sabbath service of Temple Isaiah at which
the congregation will commemorate Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Memorial Day,
one of the country’s foremost scholars of the Armenian Genocide will
speak tothe interrelationship between these two experiences. Temple
Isaiah warmly invites its friends in the community to attend this 8
p.m. service and address by Dr. Richard Hovannisian of UCLA.

May this be a small step forward in bringing our two communities even
closer together in our mutual efforts to acknowledge past genocides
and to prevent this most horrendous crime against humanity from
occurring ever again.

Howard L. Jaffe is rabbi at Temple Isaiah. Laura Boghosian is a
resident ofRussell Road.