Author: Tambiyan Samvel

GENOCIDE RESOLUTION GAINS STEAM
By Pam Wight Staff Writer

Whittier Daily News, CA –
Feb 8 2007

Armenians say Democrats support effort

MONTEBELLO – Having the U.S. government use the term "genocide" to
describe the World War I-era killing of Armenians would be more than
a symbolic gesture for Montebello resident Jack Hadjinian.

It would be a long-awaited victory he’s fought to win for most of
his adult life.

As a board member of the San Gabriel Valley chapter of the Armenian
National Committee, Hadjinian organized other members, friends and
"anyone with a consciousness who would listen" to write letters
to their congressional representatives and urge them to support a
resolution introduced last week by Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Pasadena.

The resolution calls on the U.S. government to officially recognize the
killing of 1.5 million Armenians as a genocide committed by Turkey’s
Ottoman government between 1915 and 1919.

This is not the first attempt by members of Congress to push for
an official genocide recognition. But this is the first time in
years the issue has had a serious chance of passing in the House of
Representatives, Hadjinian said.

"For years there was a huge contingency of legislators who either
didn’t want to take a stand on the issue or had a contrary belief,"
he said. "But now with the Democrats, there’s more support."

Serge Samoniantz, chairman of the San Gabriel Valley ANC, said the
approval of Schiff’s resolution could prompt the media to use the term
"without qualifications" such as the word "alleged."

"It’s really only a non-binding resolution, a statement from the
House basically," said Samoniantz, a Whittier resident. "But with
Nancy Pelosi … she’s been a long-time supporter of it. It’s an
important statement that has a good chance of passing."

Apart from Pelosi’s leadership as speaker of the House, other factors
have helped build support for the legislation this time that wasn’t
there in the past, Samoniantz said.

The Jan. 19 murder in Istanbul of Turkish-Armenian journalist
Hrant Dink sparked large demonstrations in support of free speech,
Samoniantz said. Dink had been prosecuted for "insulting Turkishness"
for calling the Armenian slayings a genocide. His prosecution angered
some American lawmakers.

The demonstrations also "showed a side of Turkey not seen before,"
Samoniantz said. "Some of the liberal-thinking people identify with
the thoughts of , an element of the Turkish population that thinks
differently."

The position of the Turkish government is that, although many
people died at that time, it was a result of the "civil strife and
displacement" occurring on both sides – not a deliberate extermination,
according to officials from the Consulate General of the Republic of
Turkey in Los Angeles.

Bush administration officials this week assured Turkish diplomats
that Bush would not support the resolution.

OSCE OBSERVERS TO ARRIVE IN ARMENIA HALF A MONTH PRIOR TO ELECTIONS

PanARMENIAN.Net
07.02.2007 14:08 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ OSCE long-term mission on observing the parliamentary
elections in Armenia, which will be held May 12, will arrive half a
month prior to voting.

And earlier a delegation will arrive in Armenia to watch the
process of preparing the elections, stated OSCE PA Chairman Goran
Lennmarker. It’s truth that the authorities of Armenia have not sent
official invitation yet, but in Lennmarker’s words, "there will be no
problems in this question." "Undoubtedly, the Armenian nation wants
fair and transparent elections.

I hope the authorities will provide all necessary conditions to hold
such elections," Lennmarker stressed.

The delegation at the head of OSCE PA Chairman departed for Tbilisi,
and tomorrow will arrive in Azerbaijan, where a meeting with Azeri
President Ilham Aliev will take place. As to the meeting with Armenian
President Robert Kocharian, which was scheduled but did not take place,
Goran Lennmarker explained it that the head of the state was not in
Yerevan," RFE/RL reports.

TENSION OVER DINK CASE SPILLS INTO FOOTBALL STADIUMS; FANS PENALIZED FOR BANNERS

Hurriyet, Turkey
Feb 6 2007

Football fans who opened a banner reading "We are neither Armenian
nor from Malatya-We are Elazigliyiz" at a match between Malatya and
Elazig will not be able to attend football matches for another year,
according to regional sports authorities.

The banner, which was a response to banners at murdered journalist
Hrant Dink’s funeral which read "We are all Armenian," was interpreted
as being a clear provocation by many watching the match.

Dink was himself from Malatya.

In a related story, yesterday in Ankara cabinet ministers debated
an incident at an Afyon-Bozuyuk football match last week at which
certain fans chanted "We are all Ogun"; the chant was a reference to
the Ogun Samast, the 17 year old Trabzon resident who has admitted
to firing the gun which killed Hrant Dink.

AIT RECTOR: ARMENIAN TOURISM SECTOR NEEDS QUALIFIED STAFF

Noyan Tapan
Feb 06 2007

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 6, NOYAN TAPAN. Today Armenia has much potential
for receiving considerable revenues in the tourism sector. For this
purpose the state should conduct an encouraging policy and develop
this sector by forming the respective legislative field. Robert
Minasian, Rector of the Armenian Institute of Tourism (AIT) – the
Armenian branch of the Russian International Academy of Tourism,
expressed this opinion during a talk with NT correspondent.

According to him, tourism is one of the most profitable sectors of
economy: about 50 million people are currently engaged in the
tourism sector worldwide. R. Minasian noted that it is wrong to
conclude that this sector is developing only based on the fact
of the increased number of tourists. It is necessary to implement
infrastructural reforms: to build hotels accessible to travellers and
prepare qualified staff. The RA Law on Tourism, which was adopted
in 2003, has a provision on licensing the activity of a torist
guide. R. Minasian said that such licences should be granted by
some independent organization, like in developed countries and not
by the RA Ministry of Trade and Economic Development, as is done in
Armenia by the decison of the Armenian government. The AIT rector also
considers the current order of examination for getting a licence to
be incorrect as "it is impossible to examine the spoken proficiency
(which is important for a tourist guide) by means of a test." In his
opinion, it is also incorrect to grant a permanent licence.

Anatolia News Agency, Turkey
Feb 3 2007

Turkish minister to visit USA on 4 February

Ankara, 3 February: Turkish Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime
Minister Abdullah Gul will leave for the United States on Sunday [4
February] to hold a series of talks.

Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs officials told the Anatolia that
Gul was scheduled to meet US Vice-President Dick Cheney, Secretary of
State Condoleezza Rice, Secretary of Defence Robert Gates and
National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley in Washington, D.C.

He will also hold talks with US House of Representatives Foreign
Affairs Committee Chairman Tom Lantos and members of the committee.
Gul will deliver a speech at the German Marshall Fund.

He will proceed to New York on 8 February to meet with United Nations
Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon.

Issues such as recent developments in Iraq, and the draft resolution
on so-called Armenian genocide which was submitted to the House of
Representatives will be high on agenda of Gul’s meetings with US
authorities.

Gul is expected to return to Turkey on 9 February.

February 2, 2007

PRESS RELEASE
Western Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America
H.E. Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian, Prelate
6252 Honolulu Avenue
La Crescenta, CA 91214
Tel: (818) 248-7737
Fax: (818) 248-7745
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: <;

PRELATE ATTENDS ARMENIA FUND JOINT CORPORATE AND EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING

On Wednesday, January 31st, the Corporate and Executive Board of Armenia
Fund held their regular meeting at their offices in Glendale. H.E.
Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian, Prelate and Corporate Board member,
attended the meeting accompanied by Rev. Gomidas Torossian and Prelacy
representative and Armenia Fund board Mr. Peklar Pilavjian.

RELATE TO ATTEND THE 25th ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION OF C. & E. MERDINIAN ARM.
EVANGELICAL SCHOOL

On the evening of Sunday, February 4th, Charlotte & Elise Merdinian Armenian
Evangelical School will celebrate its 25th anniversary at the Deukmejian
Hall of "Ararat Home" in Mission Hills. The Prelate will be in attendance
to convey his blessings.

PRELATE REPRESENTED AT THE MEETING OF THE ORGANIZATION OF ISTANBUL ARMENIANS

The Organization of Istanbul Armenians has invited representatives of
community organizations to a meeting at the Western Diocese to plan a joint
requiem service for "Agos" newspaper editor Hrant Dink. The meeting will
take place on Monday, February 5th. The requiem is planned for February
24th at the Armenian Genocide Monument in Montebello.

Rev. Vazken Atmajian, pastor of St. Mary’s Church of Glendale,
will attend the meeting on behalf of the Prelate.

MR. ZAVEN KHANJIAN TO LECTURE ON HIS PILGRIMAGE TO WESTERN ARMENIA

On Thursday, February 8, Hamazkayin has organized a lecture, where
Mr. Zaven Khanjian will speak on his pilgrimage to historic Western Armenia.
A slide show of the trip will also be presented.

The event will take place at the Glendale Public Library and will
begin at 7:30 p.m.

FRIENDS OF NEW JULFA PAREGENTAN FASHION SHOW
UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE PRELATE

On the occasion of the upcoming feast of Paregentan, the Friends of New
Julfa have organized a traditional fashion show, which will take place on
Friday, February 9, at 7:30 p.m., at Ambrosia Hall in Glendale. The event
is being held under the auspices of the Prelate.

Today’s Zaman, Turkey
Feb 2 2007

EP member Lagendijk sends letter to Erdoðan and Baykal on Dink

European Parliament (EP) member Joost Lagendijk has sent a letter to
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoðan and main opposition
Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal asking them to
immediately change Article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK) which
Lagendijk thinks is responsible for the murder of journalist Hrant
Dink.

Joost lagendijk
Lagendijk explained that Article 301 was behind rising intolerance
and aggressive nationalism in Turkey. He admitted that the penal
codes of various EU member states contained articles penalizing the
denigration of state organs and administrations. `In my own country,
the Netherlands, insulting the authorities or a public body or
institution can lead to imprisonment,’ Lagendijk gave as an example.
However, Article 301 of the TCK was different from other similar
articles in the EU because of two main reasons. `First there is the
word `Turkishness’ in the first paragraph of Article 301. This is an
expression which you will not find in any European penal code. The
second point concerns the reasoning behind the article. In the
Netherlands and in other European states, the reason is pragmatic: it
serves the orderly functioning of the public service,’ explained
Lagendijk. The EP member said that none of the high profile cases
against writers and journalists brought before Turkish courts under
Article 301 correspond to this type of reasoning.
Lagendijk said it was very urgent to amend this article following the
murder of Dink as it leads to life threatening situations in its
present form. `We cannot wait any longer,’ expressed Lagendijk. If
the state needed protection against insult for the functioning of
Turkish democracy, Lagendijk added, an article should be adopted so
no one could misinterpret it or exploit it for criminal purposes.
He asked both Erdoðan and Baykal to have the courage to amend this
article, expressing that Turkey needs political leaders to take the
country forward not backwards; leaders that realize that Turkey’s
long term interests are not served by giving in to extreme and
violent nationalism; leaders that are willing to lead the country in
a more democratic direction, with tolerance and respect for divergent
views.

Turkey probes Dink suspect video

Story from BBC NEWS:
X-Sender: Asbed Bedrossian <[email protected]>
X-Listprocessor-Version: 8.1 — ListProcessor(tm) by CREN

Published: 2007/02/02 12:28:42 GMT

A probe has begun in Turkey after a man charged with killing a Turkish
Armenian journalist appeared in a video posing with police and the national
flag.
Footage showed Ogun Samast, 17, in front of one flag and holding another
while uniformed police posed with him.
The images caused shock in Turkey, with one newspaper suggesting the teenager
was treated like a hero.
He is accused of killing Hrant Dink, who was shot dead outside his newspaper
offices in Istanbul on 19 January.

Mr Dink was well-known for writing controversial articles about the mass
killing of Armenians by Turks during World War I. He had been the target of
multiple death threats from Turkish nationalists.
His murder triggered anger and shock across Turkey.

‘Shoulder to shoulder’
Several Turkish television stations showed the footage, said to have been
filmed shortly after Mr Samast was captured.

The teenager is pictured flanked by security officials, while a voice is
heard telling him to tidy his hair.
In the background, a poster shows a quote from Turkish founder Mustafa Kemal
Ataturk: "The nation’s land is sacred. It cannot be left to fate."
Sabah newspaper accused police of standing "shoulder to shoulder with the
gunman", while another newspaper, Vatan, called the images as serious as the
killing itself.
Ismet Berkan, editor of the Radikal newspaper, said that the footage proved
"that the murderer and his associates are not alone, that their supporters…
have penetrated all segments of the state".
Police spokesman Ismail Caliskan said an investigation was under way into
officers seen in the footage, as well as into who leaked it to the media.

International Herald Tribune, France
Feb 2 2007

Scandal in Turkey over photographs of police posing with alleged
killer of journalist
The Associated PressPublished: February 2, 2007

ISTANBUL, Turkey: The Turkish media published photographs and video
on Friday of police and military police officers posing with the
alleged killer of an ethnic Armenian journalist, as newspapers
denounced it as "hero treatment" of the suspect.

The photographs show 17-year-old nationalist Ogun Samast, holding out
a Turkish flag and posing with officers, some in uniform. Behind
Samast a poster with another Turkish flag carries the words of
Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the revered founder of modern Turkey: "The
nation’s land is sacred. It cannot be left to fate."

Samast is charged with the Jan.19 killing of Hrant Dink, a
52-year-old ethnic Armenian journalist who had angered Turkish
nationalists with repeated assertions that the mass killings of
Armenians around the time of World War I was genocide.

The Turkish media was outraged by the photographs and video.
"Shoulder to shoulder with the triggerman: suspected killer Samast
was given the hero treatment," the Sabah daily reported on its front
page.

Later Friday, the state-owned Anatolia news agency reported that four
police officers in Samsun, where the photographs were taken, had been
dismissed and four military police officers had been moved to other
assignments.

It was not clear whether the eight officers were the ones posing with
Samast.

Initial reports said the photographs were taken at a military police
office at the bus station where Samast was captured, but military
police said they were taken at a police station nearby.

"The military police personnel seen in the images were personnel
assigned to hand over the suspect to the police," a statement from
military police headquarters said.

The statement urged the media to be cautious in publicizing "attempts
aimed at fraying the Turkish Armed Forces" and expressed concern
about the motives of those who leaked the images.

More than 100,000 people marched at Dink’s funeral, many of them
chanting for Turkey to abolish a repressive article in the penal code
used against many intellectuals, including Dink, who spoke openly on
controversial topics.

The penal code makes insulting Turkey or the Turkish national
character a crime.

ARKA News Agency, Armenia
Feb 2 2007

17.9% INCREASE RECORDED IN ARMENIA’S FOREIGN TRADE TURNOVER WITH
RUSSIA IN 2006

YEREVAN, February 1. /ARKA/. Armenia’s foreign trade turnover with
Russia increased by 17.9% in 2006 up to $426.5mln, Armenia’s National
Statistical Service reported.
Armenian exports to Russia totaled $121.7mln (12.1% of all Armenian
exports), which is a 2.3% increase against 2005.
Imports of goods produced in Russia made $304.9mln in Armenia in the
period – a 25.6% increase, with the all Russian imports being
$365.3mln (a 36.1% increase) – 16.6% of the total imports.
In whole, Russia has the largest share in Armenia’s foreign trade
turnover – 13.3%. Share of all CIS countries is 28.5% of Armenia’s
foreign trade turnover.
Armenia’s foreign trade turnover increased by 15.2% up to AMD
1,314.4bln or $3,198.3mln in 2006 compared with 2005. Exports totaled
AMD412.2bln ($1,004mln) and imports AMD902.2bln ($2,194.2mln). N.V.
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