Author: Navasardian Karapet

DANIEL FRIED: IF CONGRESS ADOPTS RESOLUTION ON GENOCIDE, INJIRLIK
MILITARY BASE CAN BE CLOSED BEFORE U.S.

ANKARA, MARCH 16, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. "If the Congress’
House of Representatives adopts the bill on Armenian Genocide, the
Injirlik military base of Adana can be closed before American
servicemen and use of the airport for our planes will be limited."
According to the Hurriyet Turkish daily, Daniel Fried, Deputy U.S.
Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs, declared this in
his testimony given before the Foreign Relations Committee of
Congress’ House of Representatives.

Today’s Zaman, Turkey
March 16 2007

Armenian soccer teams help build bridges

Despite growing pressure on Turkey from both Western countries and
the Armenian diaspora to recognize the so-called Armenian genocide,
relations between the two societies are growing closer in the field
of sports.

Pyunik coach Samuel Petrosyan
Armenian soccer teams have chosen Antalya to prepare for next season,
setting up their spring camp there. Pyunik, Mika and Banants, the
first three teams in the Armenian Premier League, are holding their
spring training camps in the Belek district of Antalya. Pyunik is the
Armenian league champion, Mika the runner-up and Banants the second
runner-up. Seven Pyunik players are also regular starters in the
Armenian national team. Pyunik’s coach Smuel Petrosyan told Today’s
Zaman that Pyunik doesn’t have any trouble in Turkey. Petrosyan said
they chose Antalya as the site for their spring training camp from
the recommendations of friends he had made in Turkey. Pyunik’s Sarkis
Ovsepyan added that friendly games between Turkey and Armenia would
make positive contributions toward resolving the misunderstanding
between the two countries.
`We will be here next year, too’

The Armenian teams will remain in Belek for two weeks. Petrosyan said
Pyunik will be in Antalya next year for their spring camp. `The
Armenians are here as a team for the first time, but I have been here
several times in the past. I was here in 1973 as a player for the
USSR youth team to play against Kayserispor. I have many friends in
Turkey. They told me that both the soccer pitches and the weather are
quite good here in Antalya. And so we chose to hold our spring camp
here.’

The political row between Turkey and Armenia is not a hindrance to
their plans to camp in Turkey, said Petrosyan. `Football is not about
politics, it is a game.’ Petrosyan said he will advise other Armenian
teams to come train in Antalya.

16.03.2007

ªaban Gündüz, Kenan Baº Antalya

TURKS IN USA URGED TO TAKE PART IN DEMOS AGAINST ARMENIAN CLAIMS

Anatolia News Agency, Turkey
March 15 2007

NEW YORK (A.A) -15.03.2007 -Ulker Aksu, chairperson of the Association
of Turkish American Contend with Armenian Lies (ATACAL), has called on
all Turkish people living in the United States to attend demonstrations
to be held in New York and Washington D.C. to protest the allegations
on so-called Armenian genocide.

Holding a news conference, Aksu said that the first one of protests
would take place in New York’s Times Square on April 21st, and the
second one in Washington D.C. on April 22nd.

"We also want to erect a monument in New Jersey out of respect to
Turkish diplomats who were slain by Armenian terrorists. We held talks
with Turkish Consul General in New York Mehmet Samsar," Ulker added.

Meanwhile, Hayati Tekin, mayor of Kutlukent town of the northern
Turkish city of Samsun from the delegation of Turkish mayors visiting
New York, said in his part, "Armenian allegations are nothing but
lies. They unfoundedly accuse the Ottomans which embraced all nations."

"The monument to be erected in New Jersey for the memory of Turkish
diplomats will cost about 300,000 dollars. We, as the Union of Turkish
Municipalities (TBB), will be pleased to pay it," Tekin added.

LAUNCHING OF PORT KAVKAZ – POTI FERRY LINK DELAYED

Noyan Tapan
Mar 15 2007

YEREVAN, MARCH 15, NOYAN TAPAN. The launching of the ferry link Port
Kavkaz – Poti, which was scheduled for March 15, is delayed. Head of
Transportation Unit of the Armenian Railway Department Elbak Tarposhian
told NT correspondent that the Russian side has not informed yet
them about the date of launching the ferry link. According to him,
in connection with a delay in putting the ferry link into operation,
the Russian side must warn the Armenian and Georgian sides.

To recap, the memorandum on launching the ferry link Port Kavkaz – Poti
on March 15 was signed on February 13. By the memorandum, the owner
of ferries – Reserve Capital Enterprising Corporation (Switzerland)
must provide regularly functioning ferries for implementation of
cargo transportation to Armenia.

ISRAELI KNESSET REFUSED TO DISCUSS DRAFT ARMENIAN GENOCIDE RESOLUTION IN NOD TO TURKEY

Arminfo
2007-03-15 14:04:00

The members of the Israeli Knesset refused to discuss the draft
Armenian Genocide Resolution in nod to Turkey.

As the Haaretz.com reports, the Knesset decided yesterday to shelve
a proposal for a parliamentary discussion on the Armenian genocide,
in compliance with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert’s request.

Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni had also asked for a removal of
MK Haim Oron’s (Meretz) proposal from the agenda of the Knesset
Education, Culture, and Sports Committee. She said the discussion
might destabilize diplomatic relations with Turkey, which denies
responsibility for the death of nearly 1 million Armenians during World
War I. MK Oron said that before the vote, Livni called him twice to
ask him to withdraw the proposal. "This inquiry is something we owe
the Armenians, primarily at a time when we are struggling to preserve
the memory of our own people," said Oron.

He added that he had intended the discussion to lead to a resolution
by the Knesset acknowledging the genocide perpetrated against the
Armenians by the Turkish security forces. Prominent members of the
Armenian community in Israel observed the vote from the Knesset
visitors’ balcony and expressed their disappointment with the decision.

Health Minister Yacov Ben-Yizri, speaking for Livni, said that "as Jews
and Israelis we are especially sensitive to the issue, but over the
years the subject has been transformed into a heated discussion that
the two parties must resolve in order to truly heal the wounds of the
past." In his address, Ben Yizri did mention that the Armenians were
"killed en-masse during the last days of the Ottoman.

YEREVAN CRITICAL OF US BAN ON JERMUK MINERAL WATER

ITAR-TASS, Russia
March 14 2007

YEREVAN, March 13 (Itar-Tass) — Yerevan regards the U.S. sanitary
authorities’ decision to bar the Armenian mineral water Jermuk from
U.S. market as "anti-Armenian designs" and "encroachment on the
Armenian prestige".

Claims by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration that Jermuk allegedly
contains high doses of arsenic dangerous for health "cause plenty of
questions," adviser to the Jermuk Group administration Edgar Kazarian
said on Tuesday.

Strangely, the American agency drew the conclusion from a test of
only one 0.5-liter bottle, he said. Judging by the bottle photograph,
it was a counterfeit Jermuk, as "there is no mineral water with such
a label on the Armenian market," he said.

There may be a political aspect to the problem, as well, Kazarian
said. "Mineral water, which is a consumer product, becomes an
instrument for solving political problems," he said.

"We have been regularly exporting Jermuk to the United States for
seven years, and we could not have done that without permission from
respective U.S. agencies," he said.

Kazarian wondered why the dangerous concentration of arsenic was
found just now.

As known, all mineral waters of Armenia contain arsenic. "Armenian
water has a curative effect thanks to this biologically active
microelement," said deputy chief of the Armenian Health Ministry’s
State Sanitary and Epidemiological Service Marietta Basilisian.

In her words, the content of arsenic in Jermuk does not exceed the
national standards.

CHAIRMAN OF THE ARMENIAN CB TO DISCUSS IN UFA THE STANDARDS OF THE QUALITY OF THE BANKING ACTIVITIES

Mediamax Agency, Armenia
March 13 2007

Yerevan, March 13 /Mediamax/. Chairman of the Central Bank of Armenia
Tigran Sarkisian left for Ufa today to participate in the "Banks,
Processes, Standards, Quality" forum.

As Mediamax was told in the CB press service, the forum is dedicated
to the memory of the first Deputy Chairman of the Russian Central
Bank Andrei Kozlov.

During the forum, which is jointly organized by the Russian CB,
the Association of Russian banks, the National Bank and the Union
of Credit Organizations of Bashkiria, the quality standards of the
banking activities, the implementation of the standard of providing
information security to the organizations, involved in the banking
sphere, and other issues will be discussed.

Tigran Sarkisian will make a speech during the forum "What the
financial control should be like".

Armenian National Committee of Oregon
c/o Rafael Saakyan, Chair
7916 North Wall Avenue
Portland, OR 97203
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:

PRESS RELEASE
March 13, 2007

Contact: Rafael Saakyan
E-mail: [email protected]

OREGON AND WASHINGTON COMMUNITIES MEET WITH U.S. REPRESENTATIVES HOOLEY
AND BAIRD

— Representative Baird Decides to Cosponsor Armenian Genocide Resolution

PORTLAND, OR – Members of the greater Portland-area and southwestern
Washington State communities held meetings with the district offices of
Congresswoman Darlene Hooley (D-OR-05) and Congressman Brian Baird
(D-WA-03) on March 7, 2007 to ask the representatives to cosponsor
H.Res.106, the Armenian Genocide resolution that was introduced in the
House of Representatives earlier this year. Organized by ANC of Oregon
Chairman Rafael Saakyan, the meetings were also aimed at continuing to
strengthen local grassroots relationships with each Representative.

Saakyan was joined by activist David Tufenkian as well as Armenian
Community of Oregon Vice President Ed Shabanian for a meeting with
Congressional Staffer Jen Wagner at Rep. Hooley’s West Linn district
office. Wagner had met with Saakyan along with Armenian Apostolic
Church of Portland Parish Council Chairman Kevork Parseghian and
ANCA-Western Region Community Relations Director Haig Hovsepian
previously during which they had discussed many issues of concern to the
Oregon Armenian community, including the Armenian Genocide resolution
from the previous Congress. Wagner noted the Congresswoman’s interest
in the current resolution and encouraged the ANC of Oregon to continue
its efforts to bring this constituent concern to the Congresswoman’s
attention.

Later that afternoon, Saakyan joined southwestern Washington residents
John Coutsoubos, Arthur Lazaretyan, Mike Kazanjian, as well as Mr. and
Mrs. Petros Bournelis for a meeting with Rep. Baird’s District Director,
Kelly Love. Love thanked the Congressman’s constituents for bringing
the issue to her attention and welcomed them to continue to work with
the ANC at the local, regional, and national levels regarding Rep.
Baird’s support for the resolution.

As a direct result of these key constituent meetings and relationships,
Representative Baird has agreed to cosponsor the Armenian Genocide
resolution, bringing the total number of co-sponsors to 184.

"We wanted to make sure our elected officials were aware of the
significance of this resolution and why it was important to support it,"
said Saakyan. "This resolution sends a clear message that our Congress
has the strength to acknowledge the Armenian Genocide and provide the
moral foundation to help us fight the continuing specter of genocide
that confronts us today in Darfur."

The Armenian National Committee of America is the largest and most
influential Armenian American grassroots political organization. Working
in coordination with a network of offices, chapters, and supporters
throughout the United States and affiliated organizations around the
world, the ANCA actively advances the concerns of the Armenian American
community on a broad range of issues.

###

PHOTO CAPTION: Saakyan, Parseghian and Hovsepian meet with Jen Wagner
at Congresswoman Darlene Hooley’s West Linn district office this past
August. Wagner met with Saakyan and Congresswoman Hooley’s constituents
on March 7, 2007 to discuss H.Res.106.

Dallas Morning News, TX
March 9 2007

Jackson Diehl: A nonbinding resolution that matters

Why is the House ready to debate 1915 genocide?

06:47 AM CST on Friday, March 9, 2007

Can a nonbinding congressional resolution really matter? Most are
ignored by everyone except the special interests they are usually
directed at. Even the House’s recent resolution on Iraq was dismissed
by both President Bush and Democratic antiwar leader John Murtha.

Yet a vote expected next month on a nonbinding House resolution
describing a "genocide" in the Ottoman Empire beginning in 1915 has
the potential to explode U.S. relations with Turkey, sway the outcome
of upcoming Turkish elections, and spill over into several other
strategic American interests, including Iraq and Iran.

So, yes: The Armenian Genocide Resolution sponsored by Rep. Adam
Schiff does matter, logically or not. Turkish Foreign Minister
Abdullah Gul spent several days in Washington last month lobbying
against it, though the Turkish-American agenda is chockablock with
seemingly more important issues. Friends of Turkey in Washington,
from American Jewish organizations to foreign policy satraps, are
working the Hill; so is the Bush team. On the other side is the
well-organized and affluent Armenian-American community, 1.4 million
strong, and some powerful friends – including the new House speaker,
Nancy Pelosi.

Here is a debate that could occur only in Washington – a bizarre mix
of frivolity and moral seriousness, of constituent pandering,
far-flung history and frontline foreign policy. And that’s just on
the American side; in Turkey there is the painful struggle of a
deeply nationalist society to come to terms with its past, and in the
process become more of the Western democracy it wants to be.

Start with the pandering: Mr. Schiff, a Los Angeles Democrat,
cheerfully concedes that there are 70,000 to 80,000 ethnic Armenians
in his district, for whom the slaughter of Armenians by the Young
Turk regime during World War I is "anything but ancient history."
Local politics also explains why a resolution that has failed
numerous times in the past 20 years is suddenly looking like a
juggernaut: Pelosi, of San Francisco, also has many Armenian
supporters.

If Ms. Pelosi allows the resolution to be brought up, as she has
reportedly pledged to do, it will probably pass. Its language is
almost comically heavy-handed: It begins by declaring that the House
"finds" a series of 30 paragraphs of facts about the genocide,
ranging from the number killed (1.5 million) to the assertion that
"the failure … to punish those responsible" helps explain
subsequent atrocities, including the Holocaust.

Imagine the 435 members of the House, many of whom still don’t know
the difference between Iraqi Shiites and Sunnis, solemnly weighing
whether Mr. Schiff’s version of events 92 years ago in northeastern
Turkey deserves congressional endorsement.

But the consequences of passage could be deadly serious: To begin
with, Turkey’s powerful military has been hinting that U.S. access to
the Incirlik air base, which plays a key role in the wars in Iraq and
Afghanistan, could be restricted. Mr. Gul warned that a nationalist
tidal wave could sweep Turkey and force the government to downgrade
its cooperation with the United States, which needs Turkey’s help
this year to stabilize Iraq and contain Iran. Candidates in upcoming
presidential and parliamentary elections could compete in their
anti-American reactions.

No wonder the Bush administration as well as even Democratic-leaning
foreign policy experts, such as Clinton-era ambassador Mark Parris,
are trying to stop the resolution. Yet theirs, too, is a contorted
campaign. After all, historians outside of Turkey are pretty much
unanimous in agreeing that atrocities against Armenians worthy of the
term genocide did occur.

Though Congress may look silly with its "findings," the continuing
inability of the Turkish political class to come to terms with
history, and temper its nationalism, may be the country’s single most
serious political problem. Prominent Turkish intellectuals, including
a Nobel Prize winner, have been prosecuted in recent years under laws
criminalizing "insults" to Turkey – such as accurate accounts of the
genocide. In January, a prominent ethnic Armenian journalist was
murdered by an ultranationalist teen-ager.

Maybe Congress has no business debating Turkish history; maybe it is
doing so for the wrong reasons. Yet if Turkey is to become the
stable, Western-oriented democracy that it aspires to be, its
politicians will have to learn, at least, to react the way everyone
else does to nonbinding House resolutions: with a shrug.

Jackson Diehl is a deputy editorial page editor for The Washington
Post. His e-mail address is [email protected].

pinion/viewpoints/stories/DN-diehl_09edi.ART.State .Edition1.441ab32.html

A1+

ERNEST SOGOMONYAN IS NOT THE LEADER OF SDHP
[12:50 pm] 09 March, 2007

Ernest Sogomonyan is the 13th in the proportional ticket of the
`Prosperous Armenia’ Party. To note, he is introduced as the leader of
the Social-Democratic Hnchakian Party (SDHP) and an associate
professor of the RA Academy of Management.

Ludmila Sargsyan, leader of central board of the SDHP, made an
announcement in this respect. `There is a rumor that Ernest
Sogomonyan, `leader’ of the SDHP, will run for the parliamentary
elections under the proportional ticket of the `Prosperous Armenia’
Party. I want to refute the rumor that Ernest Sogomonyan is the
leader of the SDHP. The party has exiled him; Mr. Sogomonyan is not a
SDHP member either in Armenia or in the Diaspora’, Mrs. Sargsyan
states.

To remind; Ernest Sogomonyan is the father of Viktor Sogomonyan,
spokesman for Armenian President Robert Kocharyan.