Author: Tavakalian Edgar

ARMENIAN ORGANIZATION REMONSTRATES AGAINST HOMOSEXUALITY OF POSSIBLE US AMBASSADOR

19:5 3 08/21/2006

The Armenian Aryan Order has expressed its protest against attempts
to appoint Richard Hoagland new US Ambassador to Armenia. The Order
has issued a statement concerning the issue. REGNUM publishes the
statement translated from Russian.

"The excuse for recalling current US Ambassador John Evans looks rather
strange. It has caused great disappointment in the whole Armenian
community, as the main reason for recalling John Evans was the word
‘genocide’ pronounced by him, when he meant the Armenian Genocide
during which over 1.5 million Armenians were slaughtered. It is a
serious signal for us, Armenians, so, deriving form the reason to
exchange the ambassador we change our attitude towards the US policy
as well.

‘The fact that the US administration is going to replace John Evans
with Richard Hoagland, who, according to Armenian and Tajik media,
is a homosexual, is a humiliation, disrespect for the Armenian nation
that holds traditions sacred. Thus, the US administration is trying
to strike two purposeful blows, both political and moral ones. If they
manage to do it, Armenian society will be left nothing but boycotting
activities of the US embassy in order at least by this to disgrace
those who are trying to disgrace us.

‘We call upon the Armenian authorities, the whole Armenian community to
raise a protest wave by all possible means against possible nomination
of the homosexual ambassador. Armenia is not a training ground for
those ill and demented. Messrs Americans, stop immoral games!"

TREND Information, Azerbaijan
Aug. 18, 2006

Experimental program on state single exam to be implemented in
Yerevan in autumn 2006

Source: Trend
Author: À. Mammadov

18.08.2006

(ARKA) – In autumn 2006, an experimental program on state single exam
will be held in Yerevan, Vanya Barseghyan, director of Estimation and
Test Center adjunct to the RA Ministry of Science and Education told
journalists after his meeting with directors of secondary schools of
Armenia, reports Trend.

He said that the program would be implemented in several communities
of Yerevan and one region, information about which would be provided
later.

"All projects of preparation work have been already worked out and
soon the process will begin ", he said.

Barseghyan finds that a state single examination is quite expedient,
since future entrants will be able to pass only one exam in their
chosen subject and not two, as it was before (at school and at
university – ARKA). He emphasized that all principles of the single
exam had been worked out and they are assumed to be under accurate
control.

Barseghyan informed that applications for participation in the single
exam would be received at schools and later on handed in to the Center
and the exam itself would be conducted by regional examination centers.

In November-December 2005, an experimental state single exam was
held in Shirak region of Armenia. Exams were in Armenian language
and Literature, Foreign Language, Mathematics and History of Armenia.

4481 pupils of higher classes from all 153 secondary schools of Shirak
region took part in the experiment. S.P.

–Boundary_(ID_aV1cA5LM5KStUU5ciffgnw)–

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TOP STORIES
08/14/2006
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1. ANCA Urges Administration to Oppose Deployment of Turkish Forces to
Lebanon-Israel Border
2. Baku Will Not Allow Two Armenian Governments, Says Aliyev
3. Senate Democratic Leader "Extremely Concerned" Over Hoagland’s
Reluctance To
Acknowledge Genocide
4. Baku-Ceyhan Pipeline Faces Corrosion Threat
5. ANCA Telethon Donations Hit $3 Million

1. ANCA Urges Administration to Oppose Deployment of Turkish Forces to
Lebanon-Israel Border

WASHINGTON–In the interest of preventing further regional unrest–and mindful
of Turkey’s violent legacy in the Middle East–the Armenian National Committee
of America this week expressed the Armenian American community’s opposition to
the prospect of Turkish armed forces being deployed between Lebanon and Israel
as part of a future peacekeeping operation.
In an August 9 letter to President George W. Bush, ANCA Chairman Ken
Hachikian
called upon the Administration to oppose any proposal to include Turkish
troops
in such a deployment, noting that, "Turkey’s presence on Lebanese soil will
only make the current situation even worse." He added that, "as Armenian
Americans–the sons and daughters of a people who endured genocide at the
hands
of the Ottoman Turkish government–we are especially mindful of raising the
legacy of Turkey’s brutal Ottoman rule over the Middle East and unnecessarily
introducing a nation with history of destabilizing behavior into an already
complex and highly sensitive region."
Stressing that, "Turkey’s record of persecution and genocide has left deep
scars in the collective memory of the Lebanese people," Hachikian explained
that, "it would be immensely insensitive on the part of the United States to
promote Turkish participation in an international peacekeeping force that will
need every ounce of credibility and goodwill that it can muster in order to
succeed in such a highly delicate and challenging mission."
The opposition of the Greek American community on this matter was
communicated
to the President last week in a letter from the American Hellenic Institute.
The complete text of the ANCA’s letter to President Bush is provided below.

Dear Mr. President:

We are writing to share with you the Armenian American community’s opposition
to any deployment by Turkey of its armed forces to serve as part of
peacekeeping force between Lebanon and Israel. We learned of this possibility
from news reports of Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice’s recent discussions
in the region.
The presence of Turkish troops would undermine United States’ interests in a
lasting and durable peace. As Armenian Americans–the sons and daughters of a
people who endured genocide at the hands of the Ottoman Turkish government–we
are especially mindful of raising the legacy of Turkey’s brutal Ottoman rule
over the Middle East and unnecessarily introducing a nation with history of
destabilizing behavior into an already complex and highly sensitive region.
Turkey’s record of persecution and genocide has left deep scars in the
collective memory of the Lebanese people. The famous Martyrs’ Monument in
Central Beirut is a vivid reminder of the record of mass brutality that Turkey
has left behind in this tortured land. It would be immensely insensitive on
the
part of the United States to promote Turkish participation in an international
peacekeeping force that will need every ounce of credibility and goodwill that
it can muster in order to succeed in such a highly delicate and challenging
mission. Turkey’s presence on Lebanese soil will only make the current
situation even worse.
As Armenian Americans, we are, as you know, profoundly troubled that, more
than eight decades after the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, the Republic of
Turkey continues to deny this atrocity. The Turkish government has compounded
their ongoing attempts to escape responsibility for this crime, effectively
seeking to complete the evil campaign launched in 1915, by, even today,
blockading and seeking to isolate Armenia. In addition, Turkey maintains its
military occupation of Cyprus, more than thirty years after its illegal 1974
invasion. Within its own borders, Turkey is regularly cited as among the
worst
abusers of human rights. In only the past few days, the Turkish military has,
against the advice of US officials, threatened to launch cross border attacks
into Iraq, a move that has the potential of severely destabilizing US-led
coalition efforts to bring peace to this troubled nation.
As you know, Turkey has, in recent years, proven itself an unreliable US ally
on a number of occasions. First and foremost among these was its refusal, in
March of 2003, to allow Coalition forces to open a northern front in the Iraq
War. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld has said that the strength of the
current Iraqi insurgency is due, in large part, to Turkey’s rejection of our
request for cooperation in this crucial aspect of the war.
Mr. President, we respectfully call upon you to consider our reservations,
and
those already expressed to you by our friends in the Greek American community,
on this matter of profound importance to our nation’s interests in the Middle
East.
Sincerely yours,
Kenneth V. Hachikian
Chairman

2. Baku Will Not Allow Two Armenian Governments, Says Aliyev

BAKU (Noyan Tapan)–Azeri President Ilham Aliyev announced Monday that Baku
will not allow a second Armenian government to exist within it territory.
"We are well aware that minorities exist in several countries. We also
know of
those minorities living under self rule. However, those minorities cannot
secede from a government like ‘separatists’ and create a new government,"
referring to the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, Aliyev told a group of Azeri
diplomats during a meeting.
A senior aide to President Ilham Aliyev has warned that Azerbaijan could turn
to the United Nations if France, Russia and the United States continue to
"ignore" its internationally recognized sovereignty over Nagorno-Karabakh.
In televised remarks cited by the BBC on Friday, Novruz Mammadov, head of the
foreign relations department of the Azeri presidential administration, again
indicated Baku’s unhappiness with a peaceful settlement favored by the three
co-chairs of the Minsk Group.
"Unfortunately, we have never heard anything about Azerbaijan’s territorial
integrity from them," Mammadov was quoted as telling an Azeri TV channel.
"Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity should have been the mediators’ main
principle… but they are forgetting about that. Just like the whole world,
the
mediators are thinking only about their own countries’ interests."
Another top Azeri official, Deputy Prime Minister Ali Hasanov, claimed for
his
part that the mediators are increasingly indifferent to the plight of hundreds
of thousands of Azeris that were displaced during the 1991-1994 war for
Karabakh. He complained that they no longer visit rundown refugee camps
where a
large part of them continue to reside. "This posture by the co-chairs must be
regarded as pressure on the leadership of Azerbaijan," Hasanov said, according
to the Interfax news agency.
The Minsk Group’s existing peace plan calls for a gradual resolution of the
conflict that would enable Karabakh’s predominantly Armenian population to
determine the disputed territory’s status in a referendum. The vote would
almost certainly formalize Karabakh’s secession from Azerbaijan.
Armenia has said that the peace plan is largely acceptable to it.
Azerbaijan’s
attitude to the proposed deal is less clear, with Aliyev having repeatedly
ruled out any solution that would not put Karabakh back under Azeri control.
"Azerbaijan will never–neither today, nor tomorrow and under no
circumstances–agree to Nagorno-Karabakh’s secession from Azerbaijan," Aliyev
told his cabinet on July 31.
While saying that Baku does not object to the referendum option, Mammadov
accused the mediators of being biased against the Azeris. "They are thinking
about the 100,000 ethnic Armenians of Karabakh, but what about the 50,000
Azeris of Karabakh?" he said.

3. Senate Democratic Leader "Extremely Concerned" Over Hoagland’s
Reluctance To
Acknowledge Genocide

WASHINGTON–Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), in a letter to the
Armenian National Committee of Nevada, reported that he is "extremely
concerned" by the reluctance of Richard Hoagland, the Administration’s nominee
to serve as the next ambassador to Armenia, to acknowledge the Armenian
Genocide.
Senator Reid’s public stand follows the August 2nd announcement by Senator
Norm Coleman (R-Minn.) that he will vote against the Hoagland nomination
because of the nominee’s refusal to properly recognize the Armenian
Genocide as
a "genocide." Sen. Coleman serves on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
"The opposition of Senator Norm Coleman and concerns raised by Harry
Reid–the
Senate’s Democratic Leader–reflect the growing bipartisan opposition to the
approval of a US envoy to Yerevan who refuses to acknowledge the Armenian
Genocide," said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian. "We continue to work
in communities around the nation to explain to Senators the damage to
US-Armenia relations–and, more broadly, to America’s standing on genocide
prevention efforts worldwide–that will be done by approving a nominee that
has
actually denied the genocidal intent of the perpetrators of the Armenian
Genocide."
Responding to grassroots concerns raised by Nevada’s growing and increasingly
active Armenian American community, Senator Reid noted that this refusal is
"particularly troubling in light of the State Department’s dismissal of the
last Ambassador to Armenia, John M. Evans following comments he made during a
February 2005 tour of Armenian-American communities in which he recognized the
Armenian Genocide. As you may know, the State Department has offered no
explanation for Evans’ dismissal."
As reported by the Associated Press, Senator Coleman has explained, "As
someone of the Jewish faith, I bring a heightened sensitivity to the
reality of
genocide and mass murder, and the importance of recognizing it for what it
is.
I was brought up believing you never forget the Holocaust, never forget what
happened. And I could not imagine how our ambassador to Israel could have any
effectiveness if he couldn’t recognize the Holocaust."
On August 1, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee delayed consideration of
Ambassador Hoagland’s nomination, following a request by the Committee’s
Ranking Democrat Joseph Biden (D-Del.) and Senator John Kerry (D-Mass.). Also
voicing support for the delay were Senators George Allen (R-Va.) and Barbara
Boxer (D-Calif.). The Committee is set to consider the matter during its
regular business meeting on September 7.
To date, more than half of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, including
Senators George Allen, Joseph Biden, Barbara Boxer, Lincoln Chafee (R-RI),
Norm
Coleman, Christopher Dodd (D-Conn.), Russell Feingold (D-Wisc.), John Kerry
and
Paul Sarbanes (D-Md.) have contacted Secretary Rice or questioned
Ambassador-designate Hoagland directly regarding the Armenian Genocide.
Senators Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) and Jack Reed (D-RI), along with over sixty
members of the US House have also expressed serious concerns to the State
Department on this matter.

4. Baku-Ceyhan Pipeline Faces Corrosion Threat

By Stephen Foley in New York

The INDEPENDENT

Environmental groups have warned that corrosion inside a controversial new oil
pipeline controlled by the British company BP could trigger a massive oil
spill
into some of the most environmentally-sensitive areas of the former Soviet
Union.
As BP battles with a crisis in Alaska, where it had to shut down the biggest
oil field in the US, campaigners say that safety flaws discovered there extend
also to a 1,000-mile pipeline from the Caspian Sea to Turkey. And the company
stands accused of a management culture where whistleblowers are ignored or,
worse, hounded out.
BP is accused of ignoring warnings about the effectiveness of a coating it
uses to slow corrosion. Critics say the coating will fail, and corrosion will
quickly cause the pipeline to break open, spilling oil into the wilds of
Azerbaijan and Georgia.
The criticisms come as politicians in Washington plan to bring senior BP
executives before Congressional hearings to face questions on a string of
safety lapses. Corroded pipelines in Alaska caused a 200,000 gallon
oilspill–the region’s worst ever on land–and BP is shutting down the entire
oilfield to conduct repairs. The field represents eight per cent of all oil
produced in the US, and its closure sent oil prices soaring this week.
The debacle comes barely a year after 15 people died in an explosion at a BP
refinery in Texas, for which the company faces a legal bill of more than $1
billion. It is nicknamed "Big Problems" in the US. Platform, an oil industry
monitoring group, says it is only a matter of time before the pipeline through
the Caucasus–from Baku in Azerbaijan to the Mediterranean port of
Ceyhan–also
triggers a disaster.
The pipeline cuts through national parkland and mineral springs in Georgia,
and triggered environmental protests when it was still at the planning stage.
Mika Minio Paluello, of Platform, said: "The public in Alaska is much more
important to BP than the public in the Caucasus, so if the standards are not
even met in the US then there is not much reason to believe that they will be
met there."
Platform says BP ignored warnings from one of its engineering consultants
about the coating used to prevent corrosion. Test results show it is already
cracking at some points, although BP says this is not serious. The project has
been dogged by criticism, and earlier this year The Independent revealed a
string of blunders. Builders cut off villages’ water supplies, flooded
farmland
and allowed oil leaks; there were insufficient checks for pipes buckling in
earthquake zones; welding work failed inspections; and those who complained
were sacked or made to leave.
But in May, oil began flowing through the pipeline and it will carry a
million
barrels a day from the newly-developed oilfields off the Azeri coast. The
industry is desperate for new sources as existing fields mature and as demand
for oil rises.
BP dismissed the idea that it cuts corners and compromises safety. A
spokes-man said: "The pipeline was constructed, and will be operated and
maintained, to a high standard. It is protected against both internal and
external corrosion."
The danger of corrosion in Alaska was brought to the attention of the BP
board
two years ago by a former consultant, who had become a conduit for concerns
from internal whistleblowers. BP is conducting a review of safety and ethics
procedures–including protections for whistleblowers–throughout its US
operations. The company is facing a criminal investigation in Alaska, as well
as tough fines from regulators.
Nick Hildyard, of another environmental monitoring group, The Corner House,
said: "A management culture that treats credible concerns over safety as
something to be resisted serves neither the public nor shareholders. Alaska
shows only too clearly the long-term costs."

5. ANCA Telethon Donations Hit $3 Million

WASHINGTON–Donations to the first ever ANCA Telethon topped the three million
dollar mark, with over 7,500 individual donations coming in from across the
country to expand the level of Armenian American participation in the civic
life of the United States, reported the ANCA Endowment Fund, Inc.
"We are deeply gratified by this broad-based, grassroots investment in our
energetic pursuit of the Armenian Cause," said ANCA Endowment Fund President
Ken Hachikian. "The success of the Telethon–both financially and as a means
of recruiting thousands of new activists–represents both a reflection of our
community’s enduring faith in the Armenian Cause and an important milestone in
the growth of our power, respect, and influence in the nation’s capital.
It is
a clear expression of our community’s confidence in the success of the ANCA’s
grassroots efforts."
The ANCA Telethon, a six-hour May 21 broadcast, was seen in hundreds of
thousands of homes across the United States. The program featured hosts from
across the country, remarks by US elected officials and Armenian American
community leaders, performances by leading Armenian entertainers, and a
variety
of documentaries featuring different aspects of the Armenian Cause. Donations
to the Telethon–during the broadcast and in the weeks that followed came from
all elements of the Armenian American community. The success of the
Telethon is
unprecedented for an Armenian American community grassroots organization. The
program kicked off the ANCA Capital Campaign, designed to raise $5 million in
support of ANCA educational programs and the newly purchased ANCA headquarters
in the nation’s capital.
The ANCA has been expanding its operations in Washington to meet the
increasing portfolio of work needed to pursue vital issues of concern to the
Armenian American community. This year the ANCA moved into its new
headquarters building that was purchased in February, and has been expanding
its broad based community outreach programs including the ANCA Capital Gateway
Program. Funds raised will primarily become part of a permanent capital fund
for the organization.
Since the success of the Telethon, the ANCA has embarked on a number of
national, regional and local initiatives, recently completing its 21st annual
Leo Sarkisian Internship program in Washington, DC, as well as various
regional
and local internship programs. Chapters and activists nationwide are gearing
for the November Congressional elections, with the ANCA "Hye Voter Turnout"
program expanding to educate Congressional candidates across the country about
Armenian American concerns. In September, the ANCA will be hosting a national
conference, geared to bring together activists from across the US to share
their experiences and learn how to strengthen the ANCA grassroots network.
Titled "Grassroots Makes the Difference," the conference, will be held
September 14 to 17 at the Embassy Suites Conference Center in Washington. For
more information, or to register, visit:
On-line donations are still being accepted for the ANCA Telethon at

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Panorama.am

13:49 10/08/06

FIVE SONGS SELECTED AS POSSIBLE NATIONAL ANTHEM

Armenia will soon have its new national anthem.
However, Gayane Durgaryan, press spokeswoman of the
ministry of culture and youth affairs, failed to
specify when. She neither refuted nor confirmed that
the anthem will be ready by September 21, Independence
Day. Five songs have been selected as the most
possible to become a national anthem, among them, one
on Aram Khachatryan’s music. They will soon be
presented to public judgment./Panorama.am/

Arka News Agency, Armenia
Aug. 11, 2006

CANADIAN AMBASSADOR TO ARMENIA SEEKS DEVELOPMENT OF ARMENIA-CANADIAN
COOPERATION

YEREVAN, August 11. /ARKA/. The newly appointed Canadian Ambassador
to Armenia and Russia (residence in Moscow) Ralph Lysyshyn intends to
contribute to the development of Canadian-Armenian cooperation.
The Congress of Canadian Armenians reports that at a meeting with the
leaders of the Armenia,enian community in Qutremont, Quebec,
expressed his desire to see increased cooperation in many field
between Canada and Armenia.
The discussions centered on improving cultural, educational,
scientific and business exchanges between the two countries, on the
possibility of obtaining Canadian aid to help realize specific
projects in Armenia, on the need to improve consular services in
Yerevan, and on having a more active Canadian role in supporting a
lasting solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh problem based on its right
to self-determination.
The meeting was organized by the Congress of Canadian Armenians and
the Armenian National Committee Canada. It was attended by leaders of
the AGBU, Armenian Apostolic Church in Canada, Armenian Catholic
Church in Canada, Armenian Revolutionary Federation Canadian Region,
S.D Hunchakian Party, Tekeyan Cultural Association and others. P.T.
-0–

TURKEY- ATATURK AND U.S. POLICY- NEED FOR CRITICAL EXAMINATION AND CHANGE

Hellenic News of America
Aug. 8, 2006

By Gene Rossides

Recently I wrote an Op-Ed article on a June 8, 2006 speech on Cyprus
by Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs
Daniel Fried. I pointed out it was an important speech for what he
said-and more so for what he omitted to say.

I stated that "Mr. Fried’s speech illustrates the problem which the
Greek American community has faced for decades regarding Cyprus:
namely, the State Department’s double standard for Turkey on the
rule of law and basic American values, which damages U.S. interests
in general and U.S. relations with Greece and Cyprus in particular."

On June 19, 2006, Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Eric Edelman
addressed the Eighth Turgut Ozal Memorial Lecture of The Washington
Institute for Near East Policy. That Institute is an active pro-Turkish
organization.

Mr. Edelman is a career foreign service officer who has held key
positions in the State and Defense Departments. He served from July
2003 to June 2005 as U.S. Ambassador to Turkey. From February 2001
to June 2003 he was Principal Deputy Assistant to Vice President
Richard Cheney for National Security Affairs. It was Vice President
Cheney who administered the oath of office to Mr. Edelman as the new
Ambassador to Turkey. Mr. Edelman was also on Cheney’s staff during
President H. W. Bush’s tenure 1989-93.

Ambassador Edelman arrived in Turkey in July 2003, three months after
the infamous March 1, 2003 vote in the Turkish Parliament denying by
4 votes access through Turkey of the U.S. Fourth Mechanized Division
to open a second front against Saddam Hussein.

Then Deputy Secretary Paul Wolfowitz had irresponsibly offered Turkey
29 billion dollars for the second front. The New York Times reported
that Prime Minister of Turkey Erdogan thought he could get more and
stated he wanted 6 billion dollars more! The U.S. refused. The New
York Times also wrote that a U.S. Treasury negotiator called Turkey’s
action "Extortion in the name of alliance."

Under Secretary Edelman’s remarks regarding Turkey contain false and
misleading statements with serious errors of fact and omission. I
will only deal with a few of them.

Ataturk

A number of Under Secretary Edelman’s references to Ataturk are
contrary to the historical record. His laudatory comments on Ataturk
play well in Turkey, but the rest of the world is familiar with
Ataturk as a dictator and mass killer of Armenians, Greeks and Kurds.
John Gunther in his well-received book, Inside Europe (1938 edition
p. 378), refers in his opening sentence to Ataturk as "The blond,
blue-eyed combination of patriot and psychopath who is dictator
of Turkey."

The Armenians know Ataturk for his role in the Armenian Genocide and as
a Young Turk. The Young Turks were the forerunners of Hitler’s infamous
SS troops. The Greeks knew Ataturk as the butcher of Smyrna and for
his role in the Pontian Greek Genocide. The Kurds know Ataturk for his
initiating in 1924 the attacks on the Kurds which amounted to ethnic
cleansing and crimes against humanity. Two million Christians were
killed by Turks in the 20th century, mostly when Ataturk was dictator
of Turkey. Ataturk ranks with Hitler and Stalin as a brutal dictator.

Ataturk’s reforms were designed to break the power of the Ottoman
rulers, not to bring democracy to Turkey. To state, as Edelman does,
that: "Among his (Ataturk’s) many lasting accomplishments, he made
Turkey a secular democracy," is pure Orwellian doublespeak.

Inonu

Under Secretary Edelman then discusses the role of Mustafa Ismet
Inonu’s presidency following Ataturk’s death. He states that a key
Inonu accomplishment was the "introduction of democratic elections and
opening Turkish politics to a multiparty system. Inonu recognized that
a loyal and constructive opposition is important for the democratic
functioning of a nation." To suggest, as Edelman does, that Inonu was
building on the dictator Ataturk’s foundation is nonsense. Ataturk
had had no real interest in democratic institutions.

Under Secretary Edelman misstates the historical record when he
states that:

"During World War II, Inonu initially viewed neutrality as a way to
preserve Turkey’s sovereignty. However, by the end of the war he
realized it was more important for the Turkish nation to join the
Allies in defense of their shared values."

The historical record is otherwise. In World War II, Turkey abandoned
its treaty with Britain and France to enter the war and remained
neutral, and profited from both sides! In fact, Turkey supplied Hitler
with chromium, a vital resource to Nazi Germany’s armaments industry
and war effort. See F. Weber, The Evasive Neutral p. 44 (1979).

Hitler’s armaments chief, Albert Speer, provided Hitler a memorandum
in November 1943 on "Alloys in Armaments Production and the Importance
of Chromium Imports from the Balkans and Turkey," which stated that
the loss of chromium supplies from Turkey would end the war in about
10 months. See A. Speer, Inside the Third Reich pp. 316-17, 405,
550 n.10 (1970).

In effect Turkey’s supply of chromium to Nazi Germany prolonged World
War II by 7 months. All battlefield and concentration camps deaths
in the last seven months of World War II lie at Turkey’s doorstep.

With the defeat of Germany imminent, Turkey declared war on Germany
two weeks before Germany’s surrender. Turkey did this to claim a
seat at the conference table after the war. It had nothing to do with
Edelman’s assertion it was for "defense of their shared values."

Cyprus

The lack of objectivity of Under Secretary Edelman is seen from the
fact that he fails to discuss or even refer in his speech to the
Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974 and the occupation of 37.3% of
Cyprus, now in its 33rd year, with 40,000 Turkish troops and several
hundred U.S.-supplied tanks illegally in Cyprus; with 120,000 illegal
settlers from Anatolia in violation of the Geneva Convention; and
the Turkish barbed wire fence across the face of Cyprus.

Human Rights

Under Secretary Edelman also omits any reference to Turkey’s horrendous
human rights record against its citizens generally and against its 20%
Kurdish minority. I would urge the Under Secretary to read the State
Department’s annual human rights country reports on Turkey and Amnesty
International and Human Rights Watch reports on Turkey to learn the
horrendous extent of human rights violations by successive Turkish
governments and the number of political prisoners and journalists
in jail.

Executive Branch Appeasers

Under Secretary Edelman is part of the handful of Executive Branch
officials and former officials who have led the effort to appease
Turkey and apply a double standard on the rule of law and democratic
values to Turkey to the detriment of U.S. interests and to the
detriment of the Turkish people generally. He stands with Paul
Wolfowitz, Richard Perle, Douglas Feith and Dan Fried in espousing
policies for Turkey that are harmful to the U.S.

Turkish troops have got to go

Congresswoman Ileana Ros Lehtinen (R-FL), a leading member of the
House International Relations Committee (HIRC), said it best regarding
Cyprus when she stated that the "continuing presence of Turkish troops
on the island" is unacceptable and "they’ve got to go." (Emphasis in
original) I urge Under Secretary Edelman to take note. Fundamental
reexamination of U.S. relations with Turkey

Congressman Thaddeus McCotter (R-MI), another key member of the HIRC,
put it succinctly recently at an American Hellenic Institute briefing
and luncheon on Capitol Hill on the commemoration of the 32nd year of
Turkey’s aggression against and occupation of 37.3% of Cyprus. The
title of the briefing was "Cyprus: 32 Years Later- What is needed
for a solution."

Congressman McCotter’s important remarks called for a fundamental
reexamination of United States relations with Turkey. He stated:

"It’s my belief in the larger picture, what the United States has
to do is fundamentally reexamine its relationship with the nation of
Turkey. In the past the United States believed Turkey was a key ally
for United States interests in the region. What that then caused are
obvious to you fellow supporters of Cyprus.

In this day and age with Turkey increasingly looking to the European
Union and the United States looking to countries in the Middle East
to further the interests of democracy, it is critical that the United
States recognize that it is not inherently dependent upon the good
graces of the Turkish government for any success we have in the region.

This fundamental reassessment and realignment of our priorities in
the region will then have one distinct and ineluctable benefit to
the friends of Cyprus. It will help lead to ultimate justice for the
individuals both with families still with us and the victims of the
invasion. A nation that denies it’s past, is a nation that precludes
its future. If the United States comes to the realization that our
interests, as it has always been, is in dealing with other just nations
to advance the cause of constitutional government and human rights, I
believe that this course of action will be beneficial to everyone. I
will continue to press for that course of action, and I will not
allow intervening events to ever obscure that fundamental truth."

I urge readers to write to President George W. Bush and ask him to
conduct a fundamental reexamination of U.S. relations with Turkey.

Gene Rossides is President of the American Hellenic Institute and
former Assistant Secretary of the Treasury

l?newsid=5423&lang=US

RUSSIAN AVIATION AUTHORITIES NOT BAN ARMENIAN ARMAVIA COMPANY’S FLIGHTS

ARKA News Agency, Armenia
Aug 4 2006

YEREVAN, August 4. /ARKA/. The Russian Federal Aeronautical Service
has not made a decision to ban flights of Armavia Air Company, the
press service of Armavia reported today.

"There were just certain difficulties that are already eliminated,
and the air company will continue to operate its regular flights on
the Russian territory," the press service of Armavia reported.

Armavia Air Company was founded on December 12, 1996. MIKA Armenia
Trading currently holds 100% of its shares. Its owner is well-known
businessman Mikhail Bagdasarov. R.O. –0–

RF, ARMENIA TO SIGN AGREEMENT ON MIL-TECHNICAL COOPERATION

ITAR-TASS News Agency
August 3, 2006 Thursday

By Sergei Ostanin, Roman Cherepanov

Prospects for cooperation between Russia and Armenia in the
defence sphere are being discussed at a meeting of the Bilateral
Intergovernmental Commission on Military-Technical Cooperation on
Thursday.

The meeting is held within the framework of the international
exhibition of Land Troops military products "MVSV-2005" at the
All-Russia Exhibition Centre in Moscow.

"This is the third meeting of the intergovernmental commission
of the two countries," deputy director of the Federal Service
on Military and Technical Cooperation Vladimir Paleshchuk told
journalists. "The two-day meeting will result in the signing on Friday
of a Russian-Armenian agreement on military and technical cooperation."

MATTHEW BRYZA, OSCE MG US CO-CHAIR STATES HIS MEETING
WITH ARKADY GHUKASIAN, NKR PRESIDENT, WAS CONSTRUCTIVE

AZG Armenian Daily #144, 02/08/2006

NKR Issue

In the course of the Saturday press-conference in Stepanakert OSCE MG
US co-chair Matthew Bryza said that his meeting with Nagorno-Karabakh
President Arkady Ghoukassian was constructive and creative. Bryza said
that it was his first visit to NK and he came here to listen to the
views of the local leadership. He did not specify the details of
his meeting with Ghoukassian. He said that one should not expect new
elements from him for the moment. He just came to listen. Then he will
go to Paris to discuss everything with the other two co-chairs. One
should not expect a big stride now, it may be taken in the future,
Bryza said. Bryza refused to answer the question if it is right to
hold peace talks without NK. He said that the main thing is to give
an ear to what NK representatives say.

By Kim Gabrielian, Stepanakert

HUMANITARIAN AID FROM ARMENIA REACHES LEBANON

Yerevan, July 31. ArmInfo. The humanitarian aid from Armenia reached
Lebanon. The Press Service of RA Foreign Ministry informed that
the aid was taken to Syria and handed to the Supreme Commission for
Humanitarian Aid Issues of Lebanon. The 7,5 tones of humanitarian
aid includes 52 medicines and medical instruments for first aid.