Author: Nanijanian Alex

Colgate University, NY
Sept 23 2005

Balakian’s ‘The Burning Tigris’ wins Raphael Lemkin Prize

Friday, September 23, 2005

Colgate professor Peter Balakian’s The Burning Tigris: The Armenian
Genocide and America’s Response has been awarded the 2005 Raphael
Lemkin Prize for best scholarly book in the preceding two years on
the subject of genocide, mass killings, gross human rights
violations, and the prevention of such crimes.

The award is given by the Institute for the Study of Genocide at John
Jay College of Criminal Justice/CUNY Graduate Center in New York
City. The prize, which comes with a cash award, commemorates Raphael
Lemkin, the legal scholar who pioneered the international legal
concept of genocide.

Helen Fein, chair of the prize committee, called The Burning Tigris
`a book of enduring scholarly value and of important contemporary
meaning.’

Previous winners include Samantha Power’s A Problem From Hell:
America and the Age of Genocide (winner of the Pulitzer Prize), and
Alison Des Forges’s Leave None To Tell The Story: Genocide In
Rwanda.

The Burning Tigris was a New York Times bestseller and a Times
notable book of 2003. Balakian is the author of seven other books,
including Black Dog of Fate, which won the 1998 PEN/Albrand Prize for
memoir, and June-tree: New and Selected Poems.

Balakian is the recipient of honors and awards including a Guggenheim
fellowship, a National Endowment for the Art, the Anahit Literary
Prize, and an Ellis Island Medal of Honor.

He has appeared widely on national television and radio. Translations
of his work have been published throughout Europe. He is the Donald
M. and Constance H. Rebar Professor of the humanities and professor
of English at Colgate, where he was the first director of Colgate’s
Center For Ethics and World Societies.

The award ceremony and talk by the author will be at 2:15 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 11, at John Jay College of Criminal Justice. Contact
Helen Fein, director of the Institute for the Study of Genocide, at
[email protected] for more information.

;pgID=6013&nwID=4016

WHAT IS THE FUNCTION OF THE POLICEMEN?

A1+
| 20:07:39 | 25-09-2005 | Politics |

Today in almost all the electoral areas of the Kentron community one
could see the same: there were at least three policemen at the center
of the hall near the ballot-boxes.

Surprisingly not only the pro-authority, but also the oppositional
candidates’ confidants and the members of the Committees were not
worried about the fact. The policemen themselves whom we naturally
managed to see from backside only, claimed that they are keeping order.

By the way, we learned from the pre-election campaign of Rouzan
Khachatryan that her confidant Sona Mouradyan has been ousted from
the electoral area 9/14. She only tried to prevent violations of law
in the above mentioned area.

ROUZAN KHACHATRYAN IS DISCONTENT

A1+
| 11:36:15 | 26-09-2005 | Politics |

According to the Kenton community head candidate Rouzan Khachatryan,
before the elections the head of the Central Electoral Committee
Garegin Azaryan gathered together all the heads of the 9th electoral
area and ordered to give the right to check passports to only two
member of the Committee.

“In several electoral areas the number of the electors has been more
than the allowed number, there have even been open votings”, said
Rouzan Khachatryan in a press conference right after the elections.

The most grave violation, according to her, was the way the confidants
got their certificates: according to the stipulated order, it must
be mentioned in the certificate whose confidant a person is, and
the names must be mentioned in the headquarters of the corresponding
candidate. But the heads of the areas ordered to mention the names
of the confidants in the certificates.

Today Rouzan Khachatryan expressed her discontent with Garegin
Azaryan and said that Justice bloc will by all means call him to
responsibility. There is information according to which a man has
voted with a woman’s passport.

Asked by the journalists how much money she has spent on her
pre-election campaign, Rouzan Khachatryan answered, “I have spent as
many millions in drams as my competitor has spent in dollars”.

Nevertheless, Rouzan Khachatryan did not exclude the possibility of
changing her opinion about the electoral phase after the announcement
of the finals results of the elections.

Mediamax news agency, Yerevan, in Russian
24 Sep 05

FINNISH LEADER FAVOURS ARMENIA’S EUROPEAN INTEGRATION

Yerevan, 24 September: “Following the path of democracy and rapid
economic development, Armenia could ensure a more integrated European
future,” Finnish President Tarja Halonen has told Mediamax in an
exclusive interview.

Tarja Halonen, who will visit Armenia on September 26-28, gave an
exclusive interview to Mediamax news agency and Armenian Public TV
yesterday.

“Both Finland and the European Union are interested in the entire
region, and Armenia has many possibilities for developing relations
with Finland and the EU. In many terms, you have a European history,
and following the path of democracy and rapid economic development,
Armenia could ensure a more integrated European future,” Halonen
said.

“The possibilities offered by the European Neighborhood Policy could
really become a step forward. Every country in the region is of
interest to the EU and it depends on you how this interest will
materialize,” she said.

“Armenia has a rich history and you had difficulties as well, but you
could have a better future if you actively develop democracy, human
rights, the supremacy of the law and efficient management. So, I
strongly encourage you to study and explore the possibilities offered
by the European Neighborhood Policy,” Halonen said.

Asked about the prospects of the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict
settlement, she said: “I consider it is very important that a
presidential election was held in Armenia in 2003 and the next
presidential election will be in 2008. I hope you will use the time
left to the next election to solve the problem. You should encourage
yourselves to make decisions and move forward.”

Noyan Tapan News Agency
Sept 23 2005

TURKEY HAS NEVER MET EU MEMBERSHIP STANDARDS, PARTICIPANTS OF
CONFERENCE IN EUROPARLIAMENT UNDERLINE

BRUSSELS, SEPTEMBER 23, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The conference
“December 2004-October 2005: Has Turkey Saved Itself Today?” held
jointly on September 22 by the Christain Democratic Party and the
European-Armenian Federation for Justice and Democracy caused great
interest in the European Parliament. According to the information
provided to NT by the Federation, more than 200 participants from 15
EU member states, including representatives of various organizations
and the mass media, attended the conference.

The opening address of the Vice Speaker of the Europarliament Ingo
Friedrich (CDP, Germany) was followed by some 15 speeches focusing on
the EU admission, human rights (with a special stress on speech
freedom), the denial of the Armenian Genocide, the Kurdish problem,
and the process of Turkey’s joining the EU as perceived by European
public opinion. Numerous parliamentarians representing various
political forces of Europe reminded that Ankara has never met the EU
membership standards both regarding the Armenian and Cyprus issues.

Hot debates took place with the participation of Pierre Mirel,
representative of the EuroCommission’s General Directorate for
Enlargement Issues, especially in connection with the existing wide
gap between the EuroCommission’s view and the European public
opinion. In particular, parliamentarian M. Triantaphyllides (Cyprus)
stated that “he trusts European citizens rather than the Commission.”
Vahan Hovhannisian, Vice Speaker of the RA National Assembly,
stressed the threat of destabilization in Caucasus concerning
Turkey’s aggressive policy with respect to Armenia.

“On the eve of October 3 (NT: the day on which the negotiations for
Turkey’s joining the EU started) the Commission appealed to the EU
political leaders to be vigilant. They should respond to the
Europeans’ increasingly pressing demand with transparent decisions of
the Commission and the Council regarding the terms of Turkey’s
admission,” said Hilda Chobanian, Chairwoman of the European-Armenian
Federation for Justice and Democracy.

Focus News, Bulgaria
Sept 24 2005

Conference on Genocide against Armenians Takes Place in Istanbul

24 September 2005 | 10:16 | FOCUS News Agency

Istanbul. A two-days international conference opened today in
Istanbul on genocide against Armenian people during the Great War,
RIA Novosti reports citing an announcement of the TV channel NTV.
The security measures have been increased in the region of the Bilgi
private university where the conference is taking place. The
authorities in Istanbul don’t exclude possibilities for provocations
from nationalists who announced yesterday that they will block the
building of the university and will not allow the conference to take
place.

The Guardian /Observer, UK
Sept 25 2005

The World in Brief

Conference sparks protest

Hundreds of Turkish nationalists protested yesterday against a
controversial academic conference on the First World War massacre of
Armenians in Ottoman Turkey. The conference had been due to open on
Friday at two universities in Istanbul but a last-minute court order
blocked it, embarrassing the Turkish government just days before the
start of its EU membership talks. The organisers avoided the ban by
moving the conference to a third university in the city.

AZG Armenian Daily #170, 23/09/2005

Press

RUSSIAN VERSION OF DAILY AZG PUBLISHED

On September 19, the Daily Azg Ltd. put out the 0 pilot issue of the paper’s
Russian version. This colorful weekly will be mainly disseminated in the
Armenian-populated Russian cities with an aim to inform the Armenians of
Russia about ongoings in the motherland and Diaspora in the spheres of
politics, economy, culture, religion and sport. The activity of the Union of
Russia’s Armenians and the World Armenian Congress will be the focal point
of the weekly.

US resolutions on Armenian Genocide and an interview with Ara Abrahamian on
occasion of the release of Russian sailors open the first issue. The other
pages inform about the new stone-cutting plant of Ijevan, “Armenia
Expo-2005” exhibition, about the projects of the new owner of Sport and
Concert Complex of Yerevan, the adventurous route of “Cilicia” vessel as
well as about Armenian economy, culture and sport.

The editor-in-chief of the weekly is Hakob Avetikian, executive editor is
Gurgen Barikian.

ARMENIAN SIDE BREACHES CEASE-FIRE WHILE MONITORING

Azerbaijan News Service (ANS)
Sept 20 2005

Holding of the monitoring on the area of the Garahanbeyli village
of Fizuli region at the cease-fire line was planned on 20 September
2005 in accordance with the mandate of the OSCE current chairman
personal envoy. From the Azerbaijani side the monitoring was to be
held by the personal envoy of the OSCE current chairman, the Ambassador
Andzey Kasprshik, his field assistants Andzey Kasprshik,and Olexander
Samarski, as well as the high level official of the Working Group,
the press service of the Defense Ministry told. At the opposite side
of the cease-fire line which is internationally recognized as the
territory of Azerbaijan the monitoring was to be held by the field
assistants of the OSCE current chairman personal envoys Imre Palatinus,
Peter Kea and Harry Eronen, as well as the high level representative
of the Working Group. On 20 September 2005 at 11.53 a.m. during the
start of the monitoring the fire was opened from the left flank of the
units of the Armenian Armed Forces in the direction of the delegation,
which held monitoring on the Azerbaijani side. The field assistant
Vymetal registered the breach of the cease-fire from the Armenian
side and reported to the Ambassador Andjey Kasprshik about it. By
the decision of Kasprshik monitoring was halted.

Noyan Tapan News Agency
Sept 21 2005

ARPI VARDANIAN: OUR DUTY AS AMERICAN CITIZENS IS TO MAKE OUR
GOVERNMENT RECOGNIZE THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 21, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The American
people’s perception and understanding of problems related to
genocides, including the Armenian Genocide, is continuously
increasing thanks to the activities carried out by the Armenian
organizations in the US. Arpi Vardanian, Regional Director for
Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh of the Armenian Assembly of America
(AAA), told this to NT correspondent, while commenting on the
adoption on September 15 of a resolution on the Armenian Genocide by
the Commission of Internatinal Relations of the US House of
Representatives.

She underlined that progress has been registered in the adoption of
the resolution on the Armenian Genocide by the US Congress. The above
mentioned commission approved the resolution by 40 votes to 7 – such
a result has not been registered since 2000 when 24 commission
members voted in favor and 11 ones – against.

Arpi Vardanian found it difficult to say when the House of
Representatives will hold a discussion on the resolution, since the
process involves several stages. According to her, it is envisaged to
finish the discussions of all drafts by late 2005, and it is not
ruled out that the process will be completed in October, but taking
into consideration the experience of the previous years, it is quite
possible the terms will be extended.

Arpi Vardanian was appreciative of the American Greek community’s
position on the issue. She reminded that a few years ago, the AAA
initiated the creation of the Central and East European Coalition tha
involves 15 organizations representing national minorities and unites
20 mln Americans. “Today there exists an understanding on the
Armenian Genocide issue, the minorities should help each other.”

Arpi Vardanian pointed out that in the event the resolution is not
adopted, the AAA will continue its work until the Armenian Genocide
is recognized and approved by the US government. “It is our duty to
our ancestors, and as American citizens to make out government
recognize the truth, one should never be afraid of truth,” Arpi
Vardanian stressed.