Author: Navasardian Karapet

ARMENIAN-RUSSIAN RELATIONS ON HIGH LEVEL

PanARMENIAN.Net
03.04.2007 16:50 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Today Armenian-Russian relations are on high level
and their development and deepening is evident, Russian Foreign
Minister Sergey Lavrov stated to a joint press conference with RA
Acting Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian in Yerevan. He said those
15 years since the establishment of bilateral ties between the
two countries, as well as those 10 years after signing the Great
Agreement on cooperation between Armenia and Russia, became an
important stage in Armenian-Russian relations. "The 10-15 year term
is not a big one for the relation between Russia and Armenia, our
friendship and cooperation has a history of centuries. Today we are
strategic partners, Armenia is a CSTO active member-state in spite of
the fact that the country is included in NATO programs. Armenia and
Russia actively cooperate in all spheres – in economy, humanitarian
sector, and culture. Presidents Vladimir Putin and Robert Kocharian
spoke about perspectives and enlargement of bilateral ties during
their meeting in Sochi," the RF FM underscored.

In his part Vartan Oskanian stressed that the negotiation with his
Russian counterpart was productive. He noted they both discussed a
wide circle of regional and international problems, as well as the
issues concerning the Nagorno Karabakh conflict and situation around
Iran. "The agenda of the meeting was very large, particularly we
accentuated cooperation in security issues, transport communications
and energy sphere," the RA Acting FM underlined.

"SARGIS TKHRUNI" TO PICKET

A1+
[12:21 pm] 04 April, 2007

"Sargis Tkhruni" Youth Student Union is indignant at the announcement
of Gagik Gyurjinyan, Deputy Minister of the RA Culture. The point
is that after negotiating with his Turkish counterpart, Gagik
Gyurjinyan announced that Armenia is ready to renovate a Turkish
historical monument in Armenia and to invite a Turkish delegation to
the opening ceremony in return of rehabilitating Armenian cultural
treasure Akhtamar in Turkey.

"Mr. Gyurjinyan doesn’t fully realize the matter or pretends not to
realize. The event is really disgraceful for the whole Armenians. We
let the Turks to humiliate us via cutting the fillet in the presence
of Ataturk’s picture. And now we announce world-wide "how kind the
Turks are, we must invite them to Armenia as a sign of gratitude,
hang the picture of Andranik and make the Turks cut ribbons under
his picture. Let’s initiate a struggle to raise Turkey’s reputation
on the international level and serve Turkey’s interests. The Turks
may feel pity for us and "leave alone," the announcement reads.

Taking into consideration the current scene, "Sargis Tkhruni" still
urges Hasmik Poghosyan, Minister of RA Culture, to apologise to all
Armenians for sending a delegation to Turkey and humiliating Armenians.

Otherwise, "we shall stick to our principles and hold a picket opposite
RA Ministry of Culture."

RUSSIAN FM HOPES THAT THE FORECASTS OF EARLY MILITARY ATTACK ON IRAN WILL NOT COME TRUE

Arminfo
2007-04-04 14:53:00

I very much hope that good sense will prevail and these forecasts will
not come true, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said during a
meeting with the students and professors of Yerevan State University,
when asked about the possibility of a military attack on Iran on Apr 6.

The problem of Iran, just like any other problem in the modern world,
must not be solved by force. Military actions will make things even
worse, Lavrov said. He pointed out that the talks on the Iranian
problem must be resumed. He reminded of the joint statement of six
countries (5 UN SC member and Germany), who have confirmed their
commitment to negotiate with Iran and to respect its right to have
access to peaceful nuclear energy. Lavrov hopes that in the near
future this commitment will be put into practice.

1314 CANDIDATES FOR DEPUTACY REGISTERED FOR PARTICIPATING IN MAY 12 PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS BY PROPORTIONAL SYSTEM

Noyan Tapan
Apr 04 2007

YEREVAN, APRIL 4, NOYAN TAPAN. At the April 4 sitting RA Central
Electoral Commission registered the electoral rolls of 24 parties and
1 bloc nominated for parliamentary elections by proportional system. In
total, the electoral rolls include 1314 candidates for deputacy.

The National Democratic Party introduced documents only for 73 out
of 77 persons nominated by the list in advance. There are 24 women
candidates or 32.8% on the list.

The National Consent Party introduced documents necessary for
registration for all of 12 candidates. Two of them or 16.6% are women.

The National Unity Party introduced documents for all of 71 nominated
candidates. 12 of them or 16.9% are women.

The Bargavach Hayastan introduced documents for registration of all
of 112 candidates. 18 of them or 16% are women.

The Dashink Party introduced necessary documents for registration of
38 out of 47 candidates. 7 of them or 18.4% are women.

The Zharangutiun Party introduced documents necessary for registration
for 51 out of 56 nominated candidates. 11 of them or 21.5% are women.

The People’s Party introduced documents for 40 out of 44 nominated
candidates. 9 of them or 22.5% are women.

The Democratic Way Party introduced documents necessary for
registration for 31 out of 35 candidates. 5 of them or 16.1% are women.

The Impeachment bloc introduced registration documents for 59 out of
68 nominated candidates. 12 of them or 20.3% are women.

ARFD introduced registration documents for 113 out of 117 nominated
candidates. 29 of them or 25.6% are women.

The Progressive Party of Armenia introduced registration documents
for 6 out of 7 nominated candidates. 2 of them or 33.3% are women.

The Democratic Party of Armenia introduced registration documents
for 33 out of 34 registered candidates. 10 of them or 30.3% are women.

The Youth Party of Armenia introduced registration documents for 19
out of 22 nominated candidates. 5 of them or 26.3% are women.

The People’s Party of Armenia introduced registration documents for
64 out of 69 nominated candidates. 13 of them or 20.3% are women.

The Communist Party of Armenia introduced registration documents for
49 out of 51 nominated candidates. 8 of them or 16.3% are women.

The Republican Party of Armenia introduced registration documents
for 111 out of 112 nominated candidates. 17 of them or 15.1% are women.

The Marxist Party of Armenia introduced registration documents for
all of 9 nominated candidates. 2 of them or 22% are women.

The Armenian National Movement Party introduced registration documents
for 57 out of 70 nominated candidates. 13 of them or 22.8% are women.

The Hanrapetutiun (Republic) Party introduced registration documents
for 55 out of 61 nominated candidates. 19 of them or 34.5% are women.

The United Labor Party nominated registration documents for 77 out
of 83 nominated candidates. 16 of them or 20.7% are women.

The United Liberal National Party introduced necessary documents for
18 out of 23 nominated candidates. 18 of them or 44.4% are women.

The Nor Zhamanakner (New Times) Party introduced necessary documents
for 58 out of 62 nominated candidates. 17 of them or 29.3% are women.

The Social-Democrat Hnchakian Party introduced registration documents
for 18 out of 20 nominated candidates. 6 of them or 33.3% are women.

The Christian-Democratic Revival Party introduced registration
documents for 20 out of 22 nominated candidates. 4 of them or 20%
are women.

The Orinats Yerkir (Country of Law) introduced registration documents
for 120 out of 131 nominated candidates. 28 of them or 23.3% are women.

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

Haigazian University Recognizes its Women’s Auxiliary – Beirut

Beirut, 30/03/2007- Friday, a usual working day at Haigazian University, was
happily interrupted to recognize and appreciate the devotion and selfless
efforts of 12 distinguished ladies.

The rooftop of Hotel Le Bristol, one of Beirut’s most prestigious hotels was
the venue, where President Haidostian invited the ladies of the Haigazian
University Women’s Auxiliary and their spouses, in addition to some Board
members and representatives of the University to mark this special event.

Long years ago, the Haigazian Women’s Auxiliary was established as a
voluntary organization of women, dedicated to encouraging interest in
Haigazian University, rendering financial support to it, and promoting its
mission in society, as it was noted by Mrs. Mira Yardemian, the Public
Relations Director, in her opening speech.

Yardemian also read a letter by Joyce Stein, representing the Women’s
Auxiliary Los Angeles, who thanked the ladies in Beirut for their faithful
endeavors on behalf of the University. "Your devotion and extraordinary
competence, has had enormous impact on the University and indeed you also
play an important role in advancing Haigazian’s fine reputation", said Stein
in her letter.

After the opening prayer, offered by Campus Minister, Rev. Nishan Bakalian,
the audience enjoyed a lavish lunch and listened to the speech of Rev. Dr.
Paul Haidostian, President of the University.

"Haigazian’s close ties with society, and its deep concern for the youth of
Lebanon and their future describe a mission that goes much deeper than the
minimum requirements for running and keeping a university. In my four and
half years at Haigazian, I have come to appreciate with much respect, the
honoring of the women and mothers of Lebanon every May, which has probably
given the Haigazian Women’s Auxiliary and the university in general a very
high mark in society", acknowledged Haidostian.

Haidostian also declared that the time has come for refreshing the working
system, in order to prepare with confidence for future activities. "It is
clear to me that we should work in smaller groups and sub-committees to
accomplish the maximum", Haidostian noted.

Afterwards, the President and Rev. Robert Sarkissian, Vice Chair of the
Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees, honored the members with
special trophies of appreciation.

Finally, Mrs. Teny Hasserjian, Chair of the Beirut Women’s Auxiliary,
acknowledged the efforts of the ladies and their long years of service, and
thanked the President by presenting him a trophy showing the fabulous Mugar
building.

KURDISH GENOCIDE
by Aram Azez

OpEdNews, PA
April 2 2007

The Systematic Genocide of the Kurds and the Unethical International
Scheme

During his 35-year tenure, Saddam Hussein and his regime turned
Kurdistan, Iraq, and the region into hell. Imposing two unjustifiable
wars on neighboring Iran and Kuwait, Saddam and his regime took the
country through numerous catastrophes, atrocities and murdering of
countless Iraqis. However, world experts believe the gravest and
the best documented crimes of the defunct Iraqi regime were those
conducted during the Anfal genocide against the Kurdish people. The
Iraqi military campaign code name "Anfal" (spoilers of war) in 1988
was the gratuitous and obvious systematic genocide by all means but
there was no international recognition. The Iraqi state recorded and
kept detailed documents and videotapes of their crimes, which included
executions, torture sessions, mass killing and forcibly relocating
the Kurdish people, some dating back to1970s.

Right after the collapse of the Kurdish revolution led by then
Kurdistan Democrat Party leader Mustafa Barzani in the mid-1970s,
a systematic wave of Anfal operation was planed: forceful evacuation
of some quarter of a million Kurds from Iraq’s borders with Iran and
Turkey. Then, the regime destroyed all of the evacuated villages
to create barrier sanitary along these ‘sensitive frontiers’
where the Kurdish resistances have had always taken arms against
their oppressors. Most of the displaced Kurds from these areas were
transferred into compulsory camps and crude new settlements located
on the main highways, surrounded by army, monitored and controlled by
Iraqi secret agencies. Similar producers, or even worst were expected
in the years ahead.

However, renewed Kurdish arms resistance in late 1970s and the
Iraq-Iran war in early 1980s, interrupted the Ba’ath Party’s Anfal
plans, at least for several years. Yet the defunct Iraqi regime
attempted to resume the Anfal diagram in 1983, when Iraqi troops
surrounded one of the complexes where thousands of the Barzani clan
families were resettled, and within hours kidnapped 8000 males from
the camp aged twelve to seventy! Their fates for the public were
known only as "despaired Barzanis."

In the mid-1970s and the early1980s the procedures used against the
Kurdish border villagers and Barzanis, were the techniques that would
be used on a grander scale for continuing the Anfal campaign.

Undoubtedly, the absence of international objections encouraged
Saddam’s regime to believe that they could get away with an even
larger method without any hostile response. Actually, in this respect
the Iraqi regime seemed to have been accurate in its computation and
judgment of the international functioning, which was a green light
for Saddam to go ahead with the Anfal preparation!

Therefore, the Anfal Genocide’s full scale was a concerted series of
nine military operations which began on February 26, 1988, conducted
in several distinctive Kurdish geographic areas, and by September
6, 1988, reached its climax. By then, the now defunct Iraqi regime
had shattered 4500 of some 5000 Kurdish villages, and evidently used
chemical weapons to attack at least 250 villages and towns, the worst
of which was the gassing of March 16, 1988, on Halabja, a town where
more than 5,500 civilians died and some 11,000 others injured.

These chemical attacks paved the way for the Iraqi army to replace
an estimated two million of villagers in 1988. Hundreds of thousands
of these civilians were gather at first stage camps, and then driven
away in convoys of sealed military vehicles to southern Iraq. But
eventually more than180, 000 of them were massacred by the Iraqi
secret firing squads, who were waiting for the victims to arrive at
the edge of pre-dug mass graves. The ones that escaped the death
squads were buried alive and any information about the victims’
destinies to their relatives or to the public was denied for years.

However, during the 1991 Kurdish up rising which followed the first
Gulf War, the Kurds captured millions of paper records and videotapes
which were produced by security, secret intelligence, military,
Baath party and other Iraq state official agencies. 18 tons of these
evidences were eventually relocated to the US National Archives for
‘safe keeping.’ As a result of the second Gulf War, further documents
and evidences about the Anfal Genocide was discovered.

According to the NIDS, its organization holds approximately 2.4
million pages of official Iraqi documents most of which relates to
the Anfal atrocities.

In the aftermath of toppling of Saddam’s regime in 2003, Kurdish
authorities sent special teams to search for potential Anfal victims’
mass graves, especially the Barzanis in South Iraq. According to these
teams, the vast majority of the Kurdish victims’ remains were recovered
in three mass grave sites around Iraq’s Rumadi, Hather and Samawa
cities where 1400 of the Barzanis’ remains were relocated, but due
to security concerns the remains could not be returned to Kurdistan.

The teams’ searches were based on the defunct regime’s documents,
local civilians’ information; and the only five men and a twelve- year-
old boy who escaped and survived the mass killings. These survivors’
testimony at the Anfal genocide trail was significant evidence against
the defendants.

The former Iraqi regime members did not deny the Anfal Operations
in their public and medium announcements and during the trail of
those were responsible for the genocide. In one of his recorded
video speeches dated September 1983, Saddam gave the clearest hint
regarding the fate of the abducted Barzani men. "Those so-called
Barzanis, betrayed the country and betrayed the covenants, and we
meted out a stern punishment to them and we sent them to hell," he
said. During the Anfal trial, evidences of defendants’ crimes piled
against them. "Chemical Ali" also repeatedly told the court trying
him for genocide, he had ordered Kurdish villages cleared in the 1988
"Anfal" campaign which cost tens of thousands of innocent children,
women and men lives. No doubt, this couldn’t have been achieved
without regional and western bureaucrats’ support.

Even though Saddam got the justice he so deserved, yet if his
trial for genocide against the Kurdish people had continued, it
would have assured to shed light on a deeply unethical period in
both Islamic-world and western policies where the major countries,
including the United States, keep silent during the Anfal crimes
for strategic and economic interests. According to some former Iraqi
regime members, Saddam apparently wished-for making an issue of western
support during his trial, but his premature execution left no time for
such testimony. The former dictator’s trial could also have revealed
further concrete evidence of western involvement in the Anfal Genocide.

The former staff member of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee,
Peter W. Galbraith’s words also could have been useful evidence
against both former Iraqi defendants and their western advocate’s
involvement in the Anfal genocide. He visited Kurdistan at the
time and in the aftermath of the Anfal genocide against the Kurdish
people. Here is an example of what he has experienced. ..I stumbled
across it beginning in September 1987… I got permission to visit
Kurdistan. When Haywood Rankin from the US embassy in Baghdad and I
crossed from Arab to Kurdish territory, we were amazed that places
shown on our maps no longer existed. Later, we came across deserted
towns with bulldozers parked next to partially destroyed houses and
realized what was happening.

Mr. Galbraith also admits the US government’s significant role in
the defunct Iraqi regime’s crimes during the Anfal campaign: While
serving in the Reagan or Bush administrations, some of the principals
of the current war — including Donald Rumsfeld and Colin Powell —
played down the significance of Iraq’s use of poison gas, including,
in the case of Powell, against the Kurds. And months after the 1988
gas attacks on the Kurds, the current president’s father — with the
apparent support of his defense secretary, Richard Cheney — doubled
US financial assistance to Iraq. However, despite of all these best
documented crimes during the defunct Baath regime’s military campaigns
against the Kurds; the Anfal has neither internationally nor regionally
been recognized as genocide! Whereas, the International convention
(260A) of September 1948 regarding the prevention and punishment of
those who commit genocide, clearly indicates that the Anfal must be
accounted as genocide.

In regards to the similar atrocities, only two nations have been
persecuted more than the Kurds in modern history–the Armenians
by the Kemalist Turks and the Jews by Nazi Germans, but with their
political powers, Jewish genocide is internationally recognized and
the Armenians are struggling for international genocide recognition.

Yet the Kurdish case has been dismissed!

Now, 19 years later, the horrible images of Anfal campaign are
still vivid in the memories of the family members of the victims or
survivors, with no much hope for the their case to be officially
recognized as genocide; especially after Saddam’s premature
execution. Even though Saddam got the justice he so deserved, yet an
international recognition for the Anfal genocide, and an official
apology from the current Iraqi government could have been achieved
if the trial of the deposed dictator had continued! His premature
execution is evidence that there was fear of revealing foreign
involvements in the Anfal crimes, which was a systematic genocide of
the Kurdish people that the Baath party prepared from the mid-1970s
but reach its peak in 1988 when the Iraq regime massacred and gassed
more than 200, 000 innocent civilians. This has been a bloodstained
period for the Kurdish people.

Aram Azez is a Kurdish Political Journalist. He writes about
the Kurdish and Middle East Issues in both Kurdish and English
languages. Most of his articles are published in Kurdish-English
Newspapers and Websites(see for his articles
in English .) Currently he is editor-in chief of printed Kurdish
Newspaper, Newand .

77

Armenian music and dances in Verona

Yerkir.am
April 01, 2007

A cooperation agreement was signed between the Culture Department of
the Municipality of Verona and the State Linguistic University after
V. Brussov. The agreement aims at discovering the two countries’
cultural similarities and developing cultural ties.

A group of young people from the University of Verona are involved in
the works of the intercultural center called Ramia’s House. The center
operates under the auspices of the Municipality of Verona. The young
people decided to cooperate with the students from the Brussov
University though the theater.

The students from the Brussov University will be able to stage some
performances in Italy. Student exchange programs will be organized for
students from Armenia and Italy that will foster cultural ties between
the two countries and will help the young people know the culture of
the two countries better.

Laboratories that will help the students develop their creative skills
were created in the framework of the first phase of the project. The
newly established theater is directed by the Italian director Aurelio
Sabatino and the head of the Ramia’s House Center Yelena Miliavaca.

In the framework of the cooperation agreement an event titled Meeting
Armenia was held at the E. F. Dall` Abaco Conservatory in Verona on
March 26. The event was organized in cooperation with the Ramia’s
House intercultural center and Alieno Theater.

Armenian songs and music were performed during the event. `Patranq’
(Fantasy) Band from Brussov University was invited by the Ramia’s
House to perform during the event. With this event the first step in
establishing cultural cooperation has been successfully made.

By Anna ZILFUGHARIAN

Anatolia News Agencym Turkey
March 29 2007

Turkish ministry urges US senators to consider facts before adopting
resolution

Ankara, 29 March: "I sincerely hope that the US Senate would not
adopt a bill disregarding the facts on the murder of Turkish-Armenian
journalist Hrant Dink," Turkish MFA [Ministry of Foreign Affairs]
Spokesman Levent Bilman said on Thursday [29 March].

Responding to a question on the matter, Bilman recalled that the
United States Senate committee on foreign relations passed [on]
Wednesday a draft that condemned the killing of Turkish-Armenian
journalist Hrant Dink (in Istanbul on 19 January 2007).

"Although the criminals were arrested almost immediately, such a
resolution was brought to the floor in the US Senate. It is clear
that efforts are under way to exploit this loathsome murder for
political reasons, making references to 1915 incidents. The
government and a large crowd of people attended the funeral of Dink
to condemn the murder," Bilman recalled.

Turkey is closely following the process regarding the resolution.

US Senate committee on foreign relations passed a draft that
condemned the killing of Hrant Dink. The draft also urged Turks to
amend Article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code and establish diplomatic,
political and commercial relations with Armenia.

The draft, tabled by Senator Joseph Biden, member of the foreign
relations committee, was sent to Senate general assembly for
approval.

GRAPES OF WRATH
By Alison Hewitt Staff Writer

San Gabriel Valley Tribune, CA
March 29 2007

Residents, business owner fight over liquor store

SAN DIMAS – More than 50 members of the community turned out Tuesday
night at a City Council meeting in an unsuccessful effort to prevent
a gourmet liquor store from getting approval to sell alcohol downtown.

The issue turned emotional as the Armenian applicant and would-be
owner charged San Dimas residents with discrimination and the city
with imposing excessive requirements on him. Residents accused him
of threatening business owners and trying to open a shop that would
diminish downtown’s reputation.

"I’m just a businessman," applicant Sid Maksoudian told the council,
and then launched into a history of the Ottoman Empire, where the
Armenian Genocide occurred in the early 1900s. "I feel like I’m back
in the Ottoman Empire."

Although Maksoudian’s proposed business received unanimous approval
from the Planning Commission, it came before the council after
Councilman Denis Bertone appealed the commission’s decision.

After more than three hours of testimony, the City Council voted 3-2 to
deny Bertone’s appeal. The three-man majority asked city staff to draft
a modified version of the Planning Commission’s permit requirements,
reducing the conditions imposed on Maksoudian, for approval at the
next meeting.

"Justice was done," Maksoudian said.

The proposed store would sell high-end wine, top-shelf liquor and
micro-brewed beers, as well as caviar, gourmet cheeses, cigars and
other pre-packaged items, Maksoudian said. Residents and business
owners labeled it just another liquor store, and vilified Maksoudian.

They accused him of shuttering downtown’s San Dimas Wine Shop and
Tasting Room and threatening to shut down other businesses that
did not support his application. Maksoudian denied the accusations,
saying established San Dimas business interests were targeting him
to drive him out.

Heidi Daniels, owner of the wine tasting room, said Maksoudian had made
a systematic effort to tear down her business. He admitted to reviewing
her permits to see if she was operating legally, but denied informing
the county health department that she lacked a health permit. The
health department closed down the tasting room last week, Daniels said.

"I acknowledge that it was the legal right of the applicant to report
our oversight to the health department," Daniels said.

"Unfortunately, he did not stop there."

She accused him of demanding that the Chamber of Commerce revoke her
nomination to the board of directors, which Maksoudian confirmed. She
also said he told other business owners that he was going to shut
her down, which Maksoudian denied.

Julie Salazar, an active resident and board member on the nonprofit
Festival of Arts, said business residents had come to her and
complained, too. She acknowledged asking Bertone to file the appeal
that called for Tuesday’s hearing.

"He went down the street merchant by merchant, and through veiled
threats he told them, `You’re either for me or against me, and if
you’re against me, things have a way of happening,"’ Salazar said. He
cited the wine tasting room as an example of his power, Salazar said.

Councilmen Bertone and John Ebiner opposed granting the liquor permit
to Maksoudian’s market, citing a large number of existing businesses
with liquor licenses in the area. Councilmen Jeff Templeman and
Emmett Badar said they believed they needed to give Maksoudian a
chance before condemning him.

Mayor Curtis Morris argued that Maksoudian had every legal right to
open according to the city’s own laws, and that the city must grant
the permit.

"I would prefer something other than a liquor store at that location,
but I don’t think we have that discretion," Morris said.

Armenian National Committee of America
1711 N Street NW
Washington, DC 20036
Tel. (202) 775-1918
Fax. (202) 775-5648
Email [email protected]
Internet

PRESS RELEASE
March 29, 2007
Contact: Elizabeth S. Chouldjian
Tel: (202) 775-1918

REP. WATSON ALERTS COLLEAGUES TO TURKEY’S TOKEN EFFORTS
TO USE AKHTAMAR RENOVATION TO MISLEAD THE U.S. CONGRESS

— Cites Turkey’s Destruction of Hundreds of Armenian
Religious Sites; Urges Members of the House to Work
for the Passage of the Armenian Genocide Resolution (H.Res.106)

WASHINGTON, DC – Congresswoman Diane Watson, a leading member of
the House Foreign Affairs Committee, today warned her colleagues
not to be misled by the Turkish government’s token efforts to use
the renovation of a single Armenian Church to obscure its
longstanding policy of destroying Armenian cultural heritage and
denying the Armenian Genocide, reported the Armenian National
Committee of America (ANCA).

"We thank Congresswoman Watson for her work in alerting her
colleagues to the true motivations behind this token – and all too
transparent – effort by the Turkish government to draw attention
away from its anti-Armenian policies," said ANCA Executive Director
Aram Hamparian. "It is clearly not an act of tolerance for Turkish
leaders to turn an ancient and sacred church, with profound
religious meaning for Armenians worldwide, into a secular museum,
upon which a cross is forbidden and within which prayer is
prohibited."

In a Dear Colleague letter circulated today, the day of the
official opening of the newly renovated Holy Cross Church on
Akhtamar Island, in Lake Van, as a museum, she noted that, "the
Turkish government is holding an event to tout the rehabilitation
of an Armenian Church. Unfortunately, this event obscures the
reality that hundreds of Christian Armenian Churches in Turkey,
some dating as far back as the 4th century, have been neglected and
even egregiously abused." She urged her colleagues to visit a
website documenting this destruction:
nd/hist_sites.htm

Congresswoman Watson explained that, "Armenia, which was the first
nation to adopt Christianity as a state religion in 301 A.D., has a
remarkably rich history of ancient churches and Christian
artifacts. Sadly, the Turkish government – which still, against
all evidence, denies the Armenian Genocide – continues to actively
pursue the eradication of Armenian ancient monuments. It is a
desperate and malicious campaign, which began in 1915, to erase the
Armenian people’s physical and cultural existence in their historic
homeland."

The Los Angeles legislator closed her letter by pointing out that,
"only under great international pressure has the Turkish government
begrudgingly preserved this single Armenian Church, a holy site
that was already widely recognized as a world treasure. This token
effort stands in stark contrast to the hundreds of Armenian
Churches that have been and continue to be neglected, deliberately
damaged, and often entirely destroyed in Turkey and Azerbaijan."

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