Author: Torosian Aram

United Press International
Jan 20 2007

Armenians outraged at journalist’s death
ISTANBUL, Turkey, Jan. 20 (UPI) — Armenian officials are outraged
over the killing in Istanbul of a Turkish journalist of Armenian
descent.

Hrant Dink was shot Friday near his newspaper’s office. Thousands of
people gathered at the shooting site to protest the killing, the BBC
reported.

"The killing of this well-known Armenian journalist in Turkey raises
numerous questions and deserves the strongest condemnation," Armenian
President Robert Kocharian said. "We hope that the Turkish
authorities will do everything possible to find and punish the
culprit strictly in accordance with the law."

The speaker of the Armenian parliament, Tigran Torosyan, said the
killing should impact Turkey’s entry into the European Union, the BBC
said.

"Following the murder, Turkey should not even dream about joining the
European Union," the Armenian news agency Arminfo quoted him as
saying.

Armenia is one of Turkey’s eastern neighbors.

The BBC said Dink had written extensively about the massacre of
Armenians during the end of the Ottoman Empire and was convicted in
2005 of insulting Turkish identity after he wrote an article on the
topic.

Local media have reported that three people have been arrested in the
shooting.

ImediNews, Georgia
Jan 18 2007

Matthew Bryza demands to involve Armenia in Karsi-Akhalkalaki
trunk-railway project

Just before Gharibdjanian released the statement Matthew Bryza
demanded to involve Armenia in Karsi-Akhalkalaki trunk-railway
project. "Of course, we would like the railway, which connects Turkey
with Baku, to pass through Armenia, though If Azerbaijan, Turkey and
Georgia want to construct a railway, of course, we cannot object. But
we do not particularly support that project."- Claimed the Deputy
Assistant of US Secretary a week ago.

Before the Bryza statement there were the congress decision released
blocking the $500 million project. Three countries arranged to carry
out this vary important project without Washington financing.

AGREEMENT ON COOPERATION OF ROTTERDAM, PUSAN AND GOLDEN APRICOT INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVALS TO BE SIGNED ON JANUARY 30 IN ROTTERDAM

Noyan Tapan
Jan 18 2007

YEREVAN, JANUARY 18, NOYAN TAPAN. The agreement on cooperation of
the Rotterdam, Pusan and Golden Apricot (Voske Tsiran) international
film festivals will be signed on January 30 in Rotterdam. Haroutiun
Khachatrian, the Director General of the Golden Apricot international
film festival, film director will sign the agreement from the
Armenian side, Sandra den Hamer and Kim Dong Ho, the Directors of
the Rotterdam and Pusan film festivals signed the agreement from
the Dutch and South-Korean sides. The Noyan Tapan correspondent was
informed about it by Susanna Haroutiunian, the Programs Director of
the Golden Apricot international film festival.

In her words, the agreement on this cooperation was reached still
during the days of the Pusan international film festival, one of the
Asian great film festivals held on October 12-20, 2006. According
to the agreement, the mentioned three festivals will become sister
festivals and will assist each other in different issues.

S.Haroutiunian mentioned that RA Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian,
the Honorary Chairman of the Golden Apricot international festival, RA
Culture and Youth Issues Minister Hasmik Poghosian, Rotterdam Mayor,
high-ranking officials of the Armenian Embassy will be present at
signing of the agreement. A reception and a cultural program will
take place after signing of the agreement.

Two Armenian films participated in the Golden Apricot will be shown
during them.

To recap, the agreement will be signed during the Rotterdam
international film festival days to take place from January 24 to
February 4.

CYPRIOT UN OFFICIAL CHARGED WITH BRIBERY AND CORRUPTION
By Jean Christou

Cyprus Mail, Cyprus
Jan 17 2007

THE U.S. is seeking the arrest and extradition of Armenian Cypriot
Benon Sevan, the former head of the UN oil for food programme,
after charging him in New York yesterday in absentia with bribery
and corruption.

Ephraim Nadler, the brother-in-law of former UN Secretary-General
Boutros Boutros-Ghali, was also named in an indictment at the Manhattan
federal court.

Cypriot citizens cannot be extradited but given the high-profile
nature of the case, if the US cranks up the pressure, it may cause
a headache for the Cyprus authorities.

Attorney-general Petros Clerides told the Cyprus Mail last night he had
not heard about the indictment through any official channels as yet.

He said there was an extradition treaty with the US and that a number
of people had been extradited there over the years.

However when reminded that Sevan was a Cypriot citizen, Clerides
decided not to comment further. "I can’t say anything," he said.

Government spokesman Christodoulos Pashiardis was equally reticent.

He said the government would have to look at the US decision. "We
will have to talk to the Attorney-general," he added.

An investigation in 2005 concluded that Sevan solicited oil allocations
from Saddam Hussein’s regime on behalf of a trading company between
1998 and 2001, and it raised concerns he may have received kickbacks
for the help.

Sevan, 69, who served a distinguished 40-year career working for
the UN, is accused of receiving $160,000 between 1998 and 2000 in a
scandal that involved in total billions of dollars and 2,300 companies.

The inquiry accused Sevan of steering an oil contract to a small
Panama-registered trading firm, which netted the firm some $1.5
million.

He is the only UN official to have been charged, allegedly having
received the money from Nadler on behalf of the Iraqi government.

In New York, Michael Garcia, US attorney for New York said the United
States had lodged warrants for the arrest of Nadler and Sevan and
would seek their arrest and extradition.

"The allegations in this current indictment that the executive director
of the very programme that was created to provide humanitarian aid
to the Iraqi people was involved in such a scheme demonstrates how
pervasive the corruption was and how that corruption undermined the
operation of the programme," Garcia said.

At the United Nations, spokesman Farhan Haq said the world body had
been cooperating with US authorities in following up on the findings
of Volcker’s investigation and would continue to do so.

Sevan was one of two Cypriots under investigation. Little is known
about the second man Joseph Stephanides who was chief of the UN
Sanctions Branch, who is said to have colluded with a former British
UN ambassador in order for Lloyd’s Register Inspection Ltd. to get
a lucrative contract.

To account for the $160,000, which investigators deemed suspicious,
Sevan, who was born in Cyprus and attended the Melkonian in Nicosia,
said that he received large amounts of money annually from an aunt
on the island.

He recorded the amounts in his financial declarations.

Figures quoted in regards to the discrepancies in the oil-for-food
programme, which was shut down in 2003, range from $2 billion to
$21 billion.

Sevan’s aunt Berjouhi Zeytountsian, a retired civil servant who raised
him, died two years ago after falling into an elevator shaft.

Police declared her death an accident.

In a statement issued through his lawyers at the end of the inquiry,
Sevan said it was unfortunate that the independent investigative
committee has succumbed to massive political pressure "and now seeks
to scapegoat Benon Sevan".

Sevan could not be reached for comment at his Nicosia home last night.

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
January 17, 2007
Contact: Elizabeth S. Chouldjian
(202) 775-1918

SENATOR SCHUMER CALLS ON PRESIDENT
TO WITHDRAW HOAGLAND NOMINATION

— Senior Member of Senate Leadership Sharply Criticizes
Nominee’s Denial of the Armenian Genocide

WASHINGTON, DC – Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY), a long-time friend
of New York’s Armenian community and senior member of the Senate
leadership, has joined Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) and
Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) in urging President George W. Bush
to withdraw the controversial nomination of Richard Hoagland to
serve as U.S. Ambassador to Armenia, reported the Armenian National
Committee of America (ANCA).

Citing the nominee’s denial of the Armenian Genocide, Senator
Schumer, who serves as Vice-Chairman of the Democratic Caucus,
noted, a January 17th letter to the President, that the nominee’s
confirmation would undermine diplomatic relations between the U.S.
and Armenia, and offend the Armenian-American community. The
Empire State Senator has been sharply critical of the
Administration’s policy on the Armenian Genocide and its premature
replacement of the previous Ambassador, John M. Evans, after he
spoke truthfully in characterizing this crime as a genocide in
speeches last year to Armenian American civic groups.

"Genocide can not be neatly swept under the carpet. Armenian
Americans are justifiably up in arms over the potential nomination
of Richard Hoagland as the U.S. Ambassador to their native
country," said Senator Schumer. "Hoagland’s reluctance to classify
the Armenian Genocide as the 20th century’s first genocide is a
travesty, which leaves us to believe that he will march lock and
step with the administration’s politically motivated stance of
denial." He added that, "In order for justice to prevail, for
progress to be realized and genuine reconciliation to be possible,
there must first be recognition of the facts of history. That must
start with a simple, unequivocal declaration that the Ottoman’s
actions during the period in question were tantamount to genocide.
I cannot support Mr. Hoagland, because, regrettably, he has not met
that standard."

"We join with Armenians from New York and across the nation in
expressing our appreciation to Senator Schumer for his principled
stand against the Hoagland nomination," said ANCA Executive
Director Aram Hamparian. "For more than three decades – going back
to his early years in the New York State Assembly, as a member of
the U.S. House, and now as a leader of the Senate – Chuck Schumer
has always been a powerful voice for justice and a great friend to
the Armenian American community."

The Senate’s confirmation of the Hoagland nomination has been the
subject of growing Congressional controversy and Armenian American
community outrage, culminating in two "holds" placed on his
confirmation by Senator Robert Menendez – initially in September of
last year, during the 109th Congress, and again in the 110th
Congress after the President re-nominated him earlier this month.

The New Jersey legislator’s second hold came just two days after
the Bush Administration re-nominated Hoagland on January 9th. His
first hold was placed after the Ambassador-designate, in response
to questions posed to him during his confirmation hearing, went far
beyond the bounds of the Administration’s already deeply flawed
policy, actually calling into question the Armenian Genocide as a
historical fact. Citing the opposition of the Armenian American
community and the growing controversy within Congress surrounding
the nomination, Senator Menendez was joined on December 1st by
incoming Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) in calling on
President George W. Bush to withdraw the Hoagland nomination and
propose a new candidate to serve in this important diplomatic post.
They stressed that, in light of the broad-based concerns within
Congress, the extensive media coverage this issue has received, and
the strong stand of the Armenian American community against the
nomination, "it would serve neither our national interests nor the
U.S.-Armenia relationship to expect Ambassador-designate Hoagland
to carry out his duties under these highly contentious and
profoundly troubling circumstances."

A recent poll of Armenian Americans found that 97% opposed the
Hoagland nomination. Ninety-four percent of the respondents said
that they "strongly agreed" with the Senate’s opposition to his
nomination. An additional 3% noted that they "somewhat agreed"
with this opposition. One percent reported that they "somewhat
disagreed" with opposing Hoagland, and 2% indicated that they
"strongly disagreed" with the opposition to his confirmation.

More than half of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and more
than 60 U.S. Representatives have raised concerns about the
Hoagland nomination and the State Department’s refusal to explain
the controversial firing of his predecessor, John Marshall Evans,
for speaking truthfully about the Armenian Genocide. The
Department of State has also failed to offer any meaningful
explanation of the role that the Turkish government played in the
dismissal of Ambassador Evans, a diplomat with over thirty years of
service at the Department of State

The full text of Senator Schumer’s letter is provided below.

#####

January 17, 2007

President George W. Bush
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20500

Dear Mr. President:

I write regarding your re-nomination of Richard E. Hoagland to
serve as United States Ambassador to the Republic of Armenia. I am
deeply concerned that Mr. Hoagland’s nomination is not in the best
interest of the US-Armenia relationship, nor in the best interest
of our relationship with the Armenian-American community.

As you are well aware, an estimated 1.5 million Armenians were
killed and forced into exile by the government of Turkey between
1915-1923. Armenians, including women and children, were driven
over mountains and deserts, while being deprived of food and water
during the march. Others were deported to relocation centers in
Syria and Mesopotamia. The Armenian people were practically
eliminated from their homeland, which they had occupied for almost
3,000 years, and shrunk Armenia to less than one-fourth of its
original size. On July 24, 1915, US Consul Leslie Davis wrote to
Ambassador Henry Morgenthau, "It has been no secret that the plan
was to destroy the Armenian race as a race. . . " The history and
facts surrounding the events between 1915 and 1923 clearly show
that the Armenian Genocide was the first genocide of the 20th
century. I am concerned that the United States’ official position,
and the position of Mr. Hoagland, does not reflect these facts.

In 1998, a group of 150 scholars and writers, many of whom were
professors of history, theology, and law, including a Nobel
Laureate, honored the 50th anniversary of the UN Genocide
Convention by encouraging their government officials to officially
recognize the Armenian Genocide as such.

In Mr. Hoagland’s written testimony to the Senate Foreign Relations
Committee from June 2006, he wrote that "This tragedy is of such
enormous human significance that its historical assessment should
be determined not on the basis of politics, but through heartfelt
introspection among civic leaders, scholars and the societies at
large." Yet, his position, along with the Administration’s, fails
to recognize opinions of world scholars and human rights groups.

While I am cognizant of the realpolitik that perpetuates this
position, genocide is not something that can just be swept neatly
under the rug and forgotten. The evil at its core impels peoples,
leaders and nations to recognize it, and decry it. Indeed, no
progress or reconciliation is possible without forthright
recognition of the facts of history.

Since 1923, the Turkish government has worked tirelessly to deny
the Armenian Genocide, and force its citizens to remain silent on
the issue. Turkey instituted Article 301 in the Turkish penal
code, which took effect on June 1, 2005. This article makes it
punishable by imprisonment any person who denigrates "Turkishness"
of the Republic of Turkey. Under Article 301, Orhan Pamuk, a Nobel
Prize-winning Turkish novelist, was retroactively charged with
violating the article for statements regarding the death of a
million Armenians and thirty thousand Kurds, made to a Swiss
magazine in February 2005. In October 2006, France passed a law
making it a crime to deny the Armenian Genocide. Turkey’s Prime
Minister Tayyip Erdogan stated that Turkey was studying retaliatory
measures against France for passing such a law.

Specifically because of his refusal to directly declare the true
nature of the Armenian Genocide, Mr. Hoagland’s nomination faced
significant problems during his confirmation hearings last session.
In fact, more than half of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee
and over 60 members of the United States House of Representatives
raised questions over the nomination. Considering these
circumstances, and in the interest of justice and international
relations, I respectfully urge you to withdraw his nomination.

Thank you for your attention to this matter, and I look forward to
your response.

Sincerely,

[signed]
Charles E. Schumer
United States Senator

TODAY IS THE 17TH ANNIVERSARY OF BAKU MASSACRES
Marlena Hovsepyan

"Radiolur"
15.01.2007 17:58

Up until 1988 Nelly Danielyan taught Russian language and literature
in one of Baku schools. Today she chairs the "Union of Refugees and
Farmers" NGO.

For her even remembering the bloody events is Baku is painful. "Men
were being killed in the street. Everywhere there were fires, on
which the property of Armenians was burnt, the homes of Armenians
were robbed," she said.

It may sound unbelievable, but before moving to Yerevan, in Baku
Azerbaijani refugees concealed Mrs. Nelly in her own house. "These
people helped me, they hid me in the bathroom while the "National
front" was breaking our doors.

Azerbaijanis who returned from Yerevan were telling that neighbors were
seeing them off with tears in their eyes. In Baku no one was crying
when Armenians were being killed and robbed," Nelly Ghukasyan says.

Naturally, the refugees received neither moral nor material
reimbursement.

Heading the NGO, Nelly Ghukasyan has sent numerous letters to different
international structures, never receiving any response.

Giving a political assessment to the massacres of Baku, political
scientist Suren Zolyan noted that the tragedy that befell Armenians
should be loudly spoken about, since our neighbor is constantly trying
to distort the events.

Armenpress

REPUBLICAN PARTY MEMBER ‘ASSIGNS’ 30 SEATS TO
OPPOSITION IN NEXT PARLIAMENT

YEREVAN, JANUARY 11, ARMENPRESS: A senior member
of the Republican Party of prime minister Andranik
Margarian indicated today his party was ready to share
‘the burden of power’ with other ‘viable political
forces."
Galust Sahakian, head of the party’s parliamentary
faction, told journalists that in terms of available
resources and leverages his Republican Party and the
rapidly growing Prosperous Armenia of a millionaire
businessman Gagik Tsarukian were in the forefront of
the unfolding struggle for parliament.
Sahakian attributed the growing popularity of the
Prosperous Armenia, which according to local
newspapers, has already recruited a staggering 370,000
members, to poor social and economic conditions of the
people saying many low-income Armenians are being
attracted by Tsarukian’s provision of agricultural
aid, free medical care and other public services.
"Unlike the Prosperous Armenia, which relies on
charity to win new members, we are trying to solve
existing problems by government leverages," Sahakian
said.
Sahakian said the new election code provides quite
enough opportunities to hold elections, slated for
May, in "good atmosphere" and predicted that the
opposition may win as many as 30 seats in the new
parliament, "but to win these seats, the opposition
will have to act in combination."
Sahakian also lashed out at some opposition forces
‘for selling their representation in all level
election commissions’ and avoiding responsibility for
fair and clean polls.

Radio Liberty, Czech Rep.
Jan 12 2007

Dashnaktsutyun Again Threatens Government Exit

By Ruzanna Khachatrian

The Armenian Revolutionary Federation (Dashnaktsutyun) will pull out
of the government if the upcoming parliamentary elections fall short
of democratic standards or if it fares poorly in them, a leader of
the influential nationalist party said on Friday.

`If it becomes clear that the election results are not recognized by
international bodies, Dashnaktsutyun will never be part of a
government formed by such a National Assembly,’ Armen Rustamian told
RFE/RL, underlining lingering fears about the freedom and fairness of
the polls.

Rustamian, who issued a similar warning last September, said that
Dashnaktsutyun’s continued presence in government also hinges on
control of an unspecified `sufficient’ number of seats in the next
Armenian parliament. `We will not remain part of the government if
the number of our parliament deputies does not enable us to influence
the adoption of government decisions,’ he said.

`For example, if two political forces are able to form a coalition
without us, we will not join them just to increase their government’s
number of parliament seats. That is, we are not going to become the
fifth wheel of any government,’ added Rustamian.

The remarks suggest that Dashnaktsutyun is aspiring to a greater role
in government affairs. The pan-Armenian party has four ministerial
portfolios in President Robert Kocharian’s cabinet, none of them
relating to defense, security and foreign policy. It also holds 11
seats in the 131-strong National Assembly. Rustamian, who heads the
assembly’s foreign relations committee, said it wants to win at least
as many seats in the next parliament.

Dashnaktsutyun, which has been allied with President Robert Kocharian
throughout his nine-year rule, joined the Armenian opposition in
rejecting as fraudulent the official results of the last
parliamentary elections that gave victory to Prime Minister Andranik
Markarian’s Republican Party (HHK). The HHK is again seen as the
election favorite, owing to its grip on many government bodies and,
more importantly, the recently unveiled alliance with the powerful
Defense Minister Serzh Sarkisian. Also aiming for an electoral
victory is the rapidly growing Prosperous Armenia party of Gagik
Tsarukian, a wealthy businessman close to Kocharian.

The United States and the European Union say the forthcoming vote
will put Armenia’s democratic credentials to the greatest test yet.
The Kocharian administration has assured the West that it will be
more democratic than the reputedly fraudulent elections held in
Armenia in the past. But its political rivals claim that the
authorities will again resort to vote rigging and vote buying to
cling to power.

Rustamian did not exclude the possibility that Dashnaktsutyun will
stage street protests in case of a repeat of serious fraud. `If you
move into opposition, you draw up a corresponding strategy,’ he said.
`In that case, we would use all political means to influence
processes with an opposition stance.’

(Photolur photo)

THE STORY OF A BRIDGE
By Erdal Safak

Anatolian Times, Turkey
Jan 9 2007

SABAH- Lokmaci Bridge in Lefkosa, located between the Turkish and
Greek Cypriot sides, is now swarming with foreign and domestic
journalists. All the reporters ask everybody who crosses the bridge
if it will be demolished or not. If things go on this way, Lokmaci
will be more famous than the Kwai Bridge. Lokmaci is an important
issue but there are certain odd details about it. During the Christmas
massacre of 1963, Turkish Cypriots established a barrier in the area
which today is called the Green Line. The barrier, which took its name
from a local Armenian seller of Lokma cakes, was protected by Turkish
security officers until the 1974 Cyprus Peace Operation. Afterwards, it
was transferred to the responsibility of the armed forces. Meanwhile,
the Greek Cypriots established their own barriers and thus a bilateral
separation emerged.

Although the peace and unification plan prepared by UN
Secretary-General Kofi Annan was rejected by the Greek Cypriots in
an April 2004 referendum, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC)
President Mehmet Ali Talat, who has continued the TRNC’s policy
of opening up barriers, removed the Lokmaci Bridge as a gesture at
the end of 2005. However, there was a problem. The region was both
a shopping area and a military zone. In other words, people were
shopping there, while there were armed patrols. This situation was
scaring Greek Cypriots who went to the Turkish side to shop. The
solution was to build a bridge so civilians could pass on the upper
level and soldiers below. This idea was quickly implemented thanks
to funds provided by the Turkish Embassy’s Aid Foundation. Small shop
owners enjoyed this situation like a festival.

Then, as part of solution policies, Talat decided to dismantle
Lokmaci Bridge in order to open a new passage between the two sides
and end Greek Cypriot leader Tassos Papadopoulos’ complaints that
Turks were disturbing the buffer zone. The UN, US and EU applauded
this decision. The EU even wanted to pay for the dismantling and
promised to give 100 euros for this. Again small shop owners welcomed
the decision. In sum, Lokmaci Gate was established with Turkish
Republic funds and it will be destroyed with EU funds. Shop owners
celebrated while it was being established and destroyed. Papadopoulos
first expressed his approval and then said that if it is destroyed,
he would remove their barrier. However, when Greek Cypriot shop owners
said that the Turkish side was cheaper, he changed his mind and made
the situation more difficult by saying that the soldiers in the area
should withdraw, mines and dangerous substances should be cleared,
buildings on both sides should be repaired, and door front symbols of
the ‘so-called’ Turkish state should be removed. After he laid down
these conditions, Greek Cypriot shop owners started to celebrate. In
other words, Turkish shop owners are happy that Lokmaci Bridge will
be removed and Greek Cypriot shop owners are glad that their own
barriers aren’t being destroyed. The current situation is this. Work
to remove Lokmaci Bridge will start today. However, no new gate will
be opened. Is this situation at all understandable?

GLOBE-TROTTER SAM FINDS A NEW HERO IN TEYMOURIAN
By Peter Ferguson

DAILY MAIL (London)
January 8, 2007 Monday

DONCASTER 0
BOLTON 4

SAM ALLARDYCE prides himself on his international connections, but
Bolton’s manager has excelled himself with the Iranian of Armenian
stock spotted on the playing fields of Germany last summer. Andranik
Teymourian, who prefers to go by his Christian name, must be thinking
this FA Cup lark is a doddle after he and superb stand-in skipper
Kevin Davies dismantled Doncaster’s hopes of an upset. But life in
Lancashire has not been so easy for the 23-year-old midfielder since
he signed from Abu Moslem after the World Cup.

He is yet to figure in the Premiership and Allardyce admitted:
‘It’s been a struggle for him, not speaking English. The culture is
different and it’s been pretty lonely for him at times.’ Andranik,
one of Iran’s few successes in a poor World Cup campaign, made a couple
of thousand new friends among the Bolton faithful with two impressive
goals and a non-stop performance in midfield. Weekly English lessons
from an Iranian friend of Allardyce’s are helping him fit in to the
truly cosmopolitan Bolton dressing room.

Davies said: ‘His English is getting better. He’s a really nice lad
and one of the fittest players I’ve seen. ‘His engine is unbelievable,
he can play all day and he’s shown he’s a good finisher. But we’re
probably the least changed team in the Premiership, so it’s been
difficult for him to get in the side.’ But Allardyce made seven
changes for the tie, which included resting skipper Kevin Nolan.

Stand-in Davies’s opening goal in the eighth minute calmed any nerves
against a side that took Arsenal to penalties at their old ground a
year ago.

And Andranik, with two goals, along with Davies and Idan Tal, tied
up Bolton’s victory inside 50 minutes. Tal Ben Haim, 24, missed the
game amid speculation over his future. Tottenham are his preferred
choice over Chelsea and West Ham if Bolton decide to cash in on the
Israel centre half — a free agent this summer.