Author: Vardapetian Ophelia

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The Armenian Weekly; Volume 73, No. 41; Oct. 13, 2007

News:

1. ARF-ER CC Meets with Catholicos Karekin II

2. ‘Dream For Darfur’ Torch Light Ceremony: Olympian Ideals Should Never Be
Tarnished in Blood
By Andy Turpin

3. Oskanian Speaks at Tufts, Receives Dean’s Medal
By Andy Turpin

***

ARF-ER CC Meets with Catholicos Karekin II

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (A.W.)-On Oct. 8, Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II
met with a delegation of the ARF Eastern U.S. Region Central Committee,
including CC members Haig Oshagan, Ned Apigian and Ivan Ardhaljian, as well
as Hairenik Weekly editor Khajag Mgrditchian and Armenian Weekly editor
Khatchig Mouradian.

The delegation welcomed the Catholicos to the region and wished him success
on his visit. All present agreed on the importance of cooperation in order
to strengthen Armenian communities and to pursue national goals. The
Catholicos expressed his appreciation for the respectful attitude the ARF
has shown toward the Etchmiadzin Catholicosate, which he said returns the
respect.

One of the topics of discussion was the recent efforts in the U.S. to ensure
the passage of the Armenian Genocide Resolution by Congress. The Catholicos
informed the CC delegation that he had visited the Holocaust Memorial in
Boston and had paid respect to the victims of that crime. The Catholicos
said that as a nation that has been a victim of genocide, Armenians must
empathize with the victims of similar crimes. He said that it is admirable
when others recognize our past suffering.

Regarding recent statements by some denying the Armenian genocide or
refusing to support its recognition, the Catholicos said that "the genocide
is a historical fact and it is unacceptable to deny or to oppose its
recognition."
—————————— ————————————————– —————-

2. ‘Dream For Darfur’ Torch Light Ceremony: Olympian Ideals Should Never Be
Tarnished in Blood
By Andy Turpin

BOSTON, Mass. (A.W.)-On Oct. 7, the Massachusetts Coalition to Save Darfur
held its "Massachusetts Dream for Darfur Olympic Torch Relay and Rally"
torch-lighting ceremony at Boston’s City Hall Plaza.

Boston was part of a multi-city world tour to pressure the government of
China-host of the 2008 Olympic Games-to stop sending arms to Sudan and
indirectly supporting the genocide in Darfur. The theme of the Olympics has
already been announced as "One World, One Dream," and the Massachusetts
Coalition to Save Darfur has been urging China to "bring this dream to
Darfur."

Towns across Massachusetts had organized "torch relays" that morning and
carried their own torch to Boston. Over 30 other U.S. cities are slated to
do the same. The torch relay began in Darfur on Aug. 9, and went through
Rwanda and later Armenia on Sept. 25. The torch will go next to Berlin, then
to Sarajevo in Bosnia, and then to Beijing.

Coalition co-chair Eric Cohen introduced the event in Boston. "During the
ceremony, we will unite the flames from those [relay] events to create one
flame of hope and peace," he said. "It is our hope that agents of good will
combine to end the genocide. We have a responsibility to make this dream
come true."

He stated the mantra of the coalition, "Keep the pressure on!"

"China waters down resolutions and blocks effective action in the UN," he
explained, urging activists to continue pressing China to use its influence
in Sudan. "These pressure is beginning to work," he said, "but only
beginning. A demanding public strengthens the hands of U.S. negotiators."

Cohen ended by quoting Unitarian church pioneer Theodore Parker: "’The arc
of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice.’ We must bend
the moral arc towards justice for Darfur," he said.

U.S. Congressman John F. Tierney (D-Mass.) spoke next, and said of the
Armenian, Jewish, Cambodian, Rwandan, Sudanese and Bosnian genocide
survivors present as speakers, "We are honored to be here in their presence
today."

Tierney cited the Congress’s "Darfur Accountability and Divestment Act," and
assured that crowd that "Congress is taking action." But, Tierney
admonished, "The U.S. could do more. China could do more. Russia and the EU
could all do more."

He continued, "If anyone has leverage in the Sudan it is China, and we must
ask them to speak out. It’s about living up to the Olympic ideals as their
temporary host."

Tierney urged the crowd to engage others. "I have written to the corporate
sponsors of the 2008 Olympics and you should do the same," he said. "They
need to recognize that there’s a corporate citizenship and put humanity
before their almighty dollar."

Archbishop Vicken Aykazian spoke as representative of the Boston-Armenian
community alongside Genocide survivor Peter Bilezikian of Newtonville.
Aykazian said to the youth in the audience, "I just flew thousands of miles
>From Armenia and I am so happy to see so many young faces here today. You
are the future of the world. You could bring justice to the world. I trust
you. I trust you. I trust you."

He challenged, "Let us come together, fight together, struggle together
against those who deny the Armenian genocide and the Holocaust. God bless
you and God bless Darfur."

Jill Savitt, director of the "Dream for Darfur Campaign" recounted the
history of the movement, which started in New York last year. "People and
groups started coming to us. The Italians, Canada contacted us.
Massachusetts said, ‘We want to end the Genocide!’"

She told of her most recent travels to visit Darfur refugees. "I was in
Africa in August and the camps were wretched," she said. "There are less
people in the camps because there are fewer left." She stressed renewed and
increased activism by the crowd, saying, "You’re a part of something that is
big and important."

"China is addicted to oil," she said. "It’s given billions of dollars to its
dealer [Sudan] and it’s profiting, too. You can’t sponsor a genocide in
Africa and an Olympics at home. . We cannot let [the Games] be tarnished."

Following the ceremonial torch lighting by survivors of all the genocides of
the 20th century, the "Voices of Mercy" singers from the Berklee College of
Music provided a rendition of "We Are All Connected."

The "Community Flame" torch lighting ceremony then commenced as
representative flame bearers from throughout Massachusetts approached with
their flames. They hailed from Cape Cod, Attleboro, Westborough,
Northborough, Southborough, Northampton, Shrewsbury, Phillips Andover
preparatory academy, Peabody, Brockton, Waltham, Winchester, Newton,
Medford-Somerville, Brandeis, Northeastern and Tufts University and
Cambridge.

Rev. Gloria White-Hammond, co-founder of the My Sister’s Keeper NGO, and
premier activist for Americans for Darfur and Postcards for Darfur,
delivered concluding remarks. She rallied, "Because of your commitment,
government leaders can no longer plead ignorance. The flames of our desire
to stop mass atrocities will never be quenched! We will save Darfur! We will
just do it!"

For more information or to stay abreast of online petitions and upcoming
actions go to
———————— ————————————————– ————–

3. Oskanian Speaks at Tufts, Receives Dean’s Medal
By Andy Turpin

MEDFORD, Mass. (A.W.)-On Oct. 5, Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian,
an alumni of the Tufts University Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy,
spoke at the Fletcher School about "The Diplomacy of Small States."

"I have the pleasure of introducing one of the Fletcher School’s most
distinguished former students," said Tufts Dean Stephen Bosworth. "A man who
committed himself to International Affairs when his country didn’t have
international affairs."

Bosworth awarded Oskanian the Dean’s Medal of Achievement. Past recipients
of the medal have included Greek Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis and
current U.S. presidential contender Bill Richardson of New Mexico.

"This is a very emotional moment for me," Oskanian stated in gratitude. He
thanked the university for its notable contributions to Armenian studies.
"Seventy Armenians," he said, "have benefited [from the school] and become
diplomats. That is no small number for a small-population country like
Armenia."

"Fletcher to me was the doorway to America," Oskanian recalled. "Most of our
student analysis turned out to be wrong. We were too idealistic. We were
wrong because the spirit of consensus from the Cold War did not remain. .
Now the world is more fragmented, more dangerous. For small countries, it’s
hard to survive."

Relations with Neighbors

Oskanian explained Armenia’s political stance as a nation adrift among
volatile neighboring states. "We reject choosing between East and West," he
said. "That was the Cold War. We don’t have to choose anymore."

In reference to Armenia’s relations with Iran, Oskanian said that trade
relations between the countries were normal, "but because of Iran’s problems
with the world community, we stick to our policy of ‘complimentarity.’"

Regarding Armenia’s close but tenuous relationship with Russia, especially
during a time of strained U.S.-Russia relations, Oskanian stated firmly that
"Being considerate to other countries’ interests does not mean Armenia is
being subjugated. Armenia has its own foreign policy."

Karabakh

"These are difficult and complicated problems," Oskanian said about the
Karabakh-Armenians’ unrequited desire for self-determination. "Azerbaijan
must recognize and come to terms with this reality."

"Look what’s happening in Kosovo," he added, citing the former conflict as a
test case for ethnic-regional self-determination in action. "As I’ve said in
the UN, no one should tell us there’s a quota for liberty and freedom."

He spoke about the frozen state of Armenian-Azeri relations, maintaining
that Armenians would like to see progress-in the form of Track 2 diplomacy
with Azerbaijan-in the peace process. "We have to prepare our people for the
peace that is to come," he stressed. "There’s a trust deficit between our
two peoples. There are different stories circulating in the two countries.
That trust needs to be recovered."

Turkey

"We in Armenia have no preconditions for normal relations with Turkey," he
said. "We need to have open borders."

Addressing Turkey’s continued and relentless denial of the Armenian
genocide, Oskanian stated, "We need to pursue a resolution, but [Armenia]
has never made it a precondition to normalizing relations with Turkey."

He stressed, "I hope this message will go through: Armenia is ready for
non-confrontational relations with Turkey."

Speaking about the politics surrounding genocide today, Oskanian said,
"Today Darfur is synonymous with indifference and expediency. Genocide
should be prevented, not commemorated."

U.S.-Armenia Relations

"Considerateness," Oskanian said, "applies to all countries, including the
United States. Had we not been considerate, none of the past programs would
have been possible." He cited the opening of several gas pipelines with
USAID support as example. "And without transparency with the U.S.," he
added, "none of the programs would be possible."

Regarding the strained relations between the U.S. and Iran, Oskanian said
that Armenia "would be the first to benefit from improved U.S.-Iran
relations."

Q&A

Asked about the Armenian economy, he said that it was "open and diverse,"
and growing stronger with more financial centers. "A lot of people who had
left Armenia are also coming back," he said. "Let’s face it, Armenia is
doing very well now. The macroeconomic indicators are very strong."

In spite of queries about the continual state of widespread poverty in
Armenia, Oskanian maintained that "With this kind of high GDP growth, those
kinds of issues should disappear."

Speaking about the possibility of improving Armenian-Turkish relations, he
said, "The improvement of relations relies on both countries. At the end of
the day it needs political will on the part of Turkish leaders because let’s
face it, our two countries are not at war with each other. We’re not at
war."

Asked about the upcoming vote on the Genocide Resolution in Congress,
Oskanian cited the letter he sent to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, in response
to the one sent by the eight former Secretaries of State. "The letter from
the Secretaries of State said that the passing of the resolution would
interfere with the reconciliation process between Turkey and Armenia," he
explained. "There is no ongoing serious process between Turkey and Armenia."

Oskanian spoke optimistically about the future. "Armenia is a different
place today than it was 10 years ago. I see it, I know the programs in
place. Not only have we survived but we’ve improved. Our economy has
adapted."

He joked, "Turkey threatening to keep the border closed doesn’t phase us.
They’ve been closed for 10 years. . Turkey has been wrong all along. They
put their ethnic interests with Azerbaijan ahead of their strategic economic
relationship in the region."

Oskanian said that Turkey’s membership in the EU would be enormously
beneficial to Armenia. He then spoke to concerns regarding the vast poverty
gap between urban and rural populations in Armenia, saying, "In the capital
[of Yerevan], economic development is growing faster than in rural areas. It’s
not trickling down as it should. That’s why I’m spearheading efforts to
enhance government programs for the entire country."

Asked finally what he felt were the Armenian republic’s greatest
achievements since the collapse of the Soviet Union, Oskanian replied,
"Maintaining peace and security in our region. We shouldn’t take this for
granted in our region. We’re ahead. Our ‘complimentarity’ has really worked.
Peace and security and economic development are our biggest achievements."

A luncheon for all members of the Tufts community, attended by Oskanian,
followed his talk.

Attacks Sharpen Among Party’s Principal Rivals

By Dan Balz and Michael D. Shear
Washington Post Staff Writers
Monday, October 22, 2007; A01

ORLANDO, Oct. 21 — The leading Republican presidential candidates
staged their most contentious and personal debate of the long campaign
season here Sunday night, clashing sharply over abortion, immigration,
tort reform and their readiness to challenge Sen. Hillary Rodham
Clinton (D-N.Y.) in a general election.

The debate’s opening minutes included a series of personal exchanges
that illustrated the growing stakes in the nominating battle and set
the tone for the 90-minute encounter. Former New York mayor Rudolph W.
Giuliani and former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney were quickly
put on the defensive, fending off criticism leveled by former senator
Fred D. Thompson (Tenn.), who questioned their conservative
credentials.

Thompson raked Giuliani for having supported federal funding of
abortion, voting for the reelection of Democrat Mario Cuomo for
governor in 1994, backing gun control and making New York a sanctuary
city for immigrants.

"He sides with Hillary Clinton on each of those issues," Thompson said.

Giuliani then jumped on Thompson, attacking his record in the Senate
of opposing GOP-sponsored legislation to limit costly lawsuits. "Fred
was the single biggest obstacle to tort reform in the United States
Senate," he said. "He stood with Democrats over and over again."

One of the most personal attacks came when Sen. John McCain (Ariz.)
joined the fray early in the debate, taking umbrage at Romney’s recent
statement that he speaks for the "Republican wing" of the Republican
Party. "Governor Romney, you’ve been spending the last year trying to
fool people about your record," McCain said. "I don’t want you to
start fooling them about mine. I stand on my record. I stand on my
record of a conservative."

Thompson drew one of the toughest questions of the night in the
debate’s closing minutes, when he was asked by Fox News’s Wendell
Goler about his sometimes languid pace on the campaign trail. Asked
about criticism that he was lazy, Thompson rolled through a lengthy
résumé that includes becoming an assistant U.S. attorney at 28,
serving as counsel on the Watergate committee at 30, winning election
to the Senate twice and helping shepherd Chief Justice John G. Roberts
Jr. through the confirmation process in 2005.

"If a man can do all that and be lazy, I recommend it to everybody,"
he said to laughter and applause.

Former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee, who has been crowding his way
into the top tier of the race, stood by throughout the early
exchanges, then chided the others for attacking one another, saying
Americans are "looking for a presidential candidate who’s not so
interested in a demolition derby against the other people in his own
party."

Sunday’s debate was sponsored by the Republican Party of Florida and
was aired on Fox News Channel. Fox anchor Brit Hume served as
moderator. The debate came two days after Sen. Sam Brownback (Kan.)
dropped his candidacy and became the second casualty of the GOP
contest, and a day after a straw poll among religious and social
conservatives showed that the key constituency has not yet coalesced
around any of the contenders.

The debate, the third of the year hosted by Fox, featured all of the
remaining Republican candidates: Giuliani, Romney, McCain, Thompson,
Huckabee, and Reps. Ron Paul (Tex.), Tom Tancredo (Colo.) and Duncan
Hunter (Calif.).

The candidates competed for attention with the final game of the
American League baseball playoffs and brought the same level of
intensity to their encounter that the Boston Red Sox and Cleveland
Indians did to their contest. Thompson, under pressure to step up,
produced a far more energetic performance than in his first debate.
McCain delivered some of the most memorable lines of the night, while
Giuliani provided another strong showing. Romney stayed on the script
he has followed for many weeks.

Prodded by Fox News’s Chris Wallace, the Republican candidates
unloaded on Clinton, describing her as unfit to be commander in chief,
determined to create a government-run health system and a big-spending
tax hiker.

Romney derided her qualifications to be president, saying that "she
hasn’t run a corner store. She hasn’t run a state. She hasn’t run a
city. She has never run anything."

When Wallace turned to Giuliani and compared him to Clinton, Giuliani
said simply: "You’ve got to be kidding. You have got to be kidding."
He quoted Clinton as saying: "I have a million ideas; America cannot
afford them all," and then, with a sneer, said: "No kidding, Hillary
— America can’t afford you."

McCain promised a "respectful" debate with Clinton if they end up as
the nominees, but he ridiculed her for a $1 million congressional
earmark for a Woodstock museum. Huckabee warned his colleagues against
treating the prospect of a Clinton presidency too lightly: "There’s
nothing funny about Hillary being president."

The Fox panel, which also included political correspondent Carl
Cameron, grilled the candidates on the future of Medicare and Social
Security, with Thompson standing out as the only one offering bold and
unpopular ideas.

Thompson, who has proposed changing the way benefits will grow in the
future, said his proposals "will avoid future generational warfare,
where we have to fight over a lot higher taxes or big benefit cuts. If
we do some responsible things now, we don’t have to do that."

The other candidates all pledged to rescue the programs from future
bankruptcy, but most placed their hopes in the creation of personal
savings accounts — an idea that President Bush has failed to achieve
despite years of effort.

Pressed on how he would achieve what Bush could not, Huckabee said the
president had made his case poorly: "When he used the word
‘privatization,’ it scared the daylights out of a lot of people."

Most of the debate’s most striking moments came when the leading
candidates managed to define themselves and challenge the stereotypes
that now dominate popular perceptions of their candidacies.

McCain brought down the house by mocking Clinton’s support for giving
$1 million in taxpayer dollars to support a proposed Woodstock Concert
Museum. "Now, my friends, I wasn’t there. I’m sure it was a cultural
and pharmaceutical event," he said, prompting a round of laughter. "I
was tied up at the time," added the former Vietnam prisoner of war, a
quip that drew a standing ovation.

While the candidates echoed Bush’s positions on several issues, they
distinguished themselves from him as more hawkish on foreign policy,
declaring that they would take a harder line against Russia and Iran.
McCain echoed his line that when he looked into Russian President
Vladimir Putin’s eyes he "saw three letters, a K, a G and a B,"
adding, "This is a dangerous person."

Giuliani suggested that expanding NATO would help keep Putin’s
ambitions in check. "Now is the time to make clear to Mr. Putin that
America can speak softly but carry a big stick," he said.

Asked about the nuclear threat posed by Iran, Giuliani said that "a
nuclear-armed Iran is more dangerous" than going to war to prevent
that from happening.

Tancredo, Hunter and Paul played smaller roles on Sunday. Tancredo
accused House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) of interfering in
foreign policy and provoking Turkey at a sensitive moment by pushing a
resolution on Armenian genocide. "Nancy Pelosi is not a very good
speaker of the House, and she is an even lousier secretary of state,"
he said.

Hunter answered a question about Social Security with a lecture on
trade policy, prompting an incredulous Hume to ask: "Do you really
think we can solve the Social Security and Medicare entitlement
programs with trade policy?"

Hunter said the nation’s trade deficit is "closely linked with the
ability to take care of our seniors, to take care of Medicare and to
pay Social Security, absolutely."

As he has before, Paul spoke passionately against the war in Iraq. But
he also accused his Republican rivals of being for big government.
"Our big-government conservatives, they’re part of the
neo-conservative movement. They’ve lost their traditions about
traditional conservatism and the Constitution."

Staff writer Juliet Eilperin contributed to this report.

Source: le/2007/10/21/AR2007102100952.html?sub=AR

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

PRESS RELEASE
October 23, 2007

Contact: Elizabeth S. Chouldjian
Tel: (202) 775-1918

COMMUNITY ACTIVISTS GATHER IN WASHINGTON, DC TO PRESS
FOR ADOPTION OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE RESOLUTION

— By Plane, Train and Automobile, Constituents Travel
to Urge Congress to Stand Up Against Genocide Denial

WASHINGTON, DC — His Eminence Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian,
Prelate of the Western Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church and
citizen-activists from across the U.S. will be arriving in
Washington, DC this week to urge passage of the Armenian Genocide
resolution, H.Res.106, reported the Armenian National Committee of
America (ANCA).

The adoption of the resolution by the House Foreign Affairs
Committee on October 10th sparked a firestorm of media coverage over
the Turkish government’s threats to retaliate against America if
the measure were approved by the full House of Representatives.
Turkey has poured millions of foreign dollars into the U.S.
political system, paying former Members of Congress to make its
case and public relations firms to spin the media coverage against
this human rights legislation.

In a first wave of community visits to Washington in the wake of
the panel vote, advocates for this legislation – Americans
committed to the growth of a genuine an anti-genocide constituency
– are working with their elected officials to put America back on
the right side of this fundamental moral issue. The ANCA, Armenian
Assembly, and a range of other community groups are taking part in
this effort.

"We are pleased to be joined by so many friends from across the
country in helping to put American back on the right side of this
fundamental moral and human rights issue," said ANCA Executive
Director Aram Hamparian. "We welcome their devotion and energy and
look forward to working with them to encourage legislators to stand
up against Turkey’s efforts to exercise a veto over the recognition
of the Armenian Genocide by the U.S. Congress."

Activists from over 15 states, including California, Connecticut,
Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Florida, Maryland, Massachusetts,
Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode
Island and Texas will be meeting with Members of Congress and staff
in Washington, DC, with activists in remaining states reaching out
to their Congressional district offices. The Washington DC
advocacy effort, expands on the nationwide ANCA Call-in and write-
in campaigns, which have been underway since the Armenian Genocide
resolution was introduced in January, 2007, by Rep. Adam Schiff (D-
CA) and spearheaded by Representative George Radanovich (R-CA),
Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chairs Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and
Joe Knollenberg (R-MI), Rep. Brad Sherman (D-CA), Rep. Thaddeus
McCotter (R-MI), Ed Royce (R-CA), and Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-CA). In
March, the ANCA joined with the Genocide Intervention Network in
sponsoring the "End the Cycle of Genocide" Advocacy Days, calling
Congressional attention to the denial of the Armenian Genocide and
the need for urgent action to stop the ongoing genocide in Darfur,
Sudan.

This past Sunday, the ANCA hosted a special three hour presentation
on Horizon Armenian Television, titled "ANCA Special Project: Call
for Justice", spotlighting the growing Armenian American community
activism in support of H.Res.106. The special included remarks by
His Eminence Moushegh Mardirosian, His Eminence Hovnan Derderian,
Primate of the Western Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church,
Glendale City Clerk Ardashes Kassakhian, and a of host community
organization leaders urging ongoing grassroots activism in support
of the Armenian Genocide resolution. Congressmen Adam Schiff (D-
CA) and Brad Sherman (D-CA) both called into the program to offer
personal insights into the path of this legislation.

Among the highlights of the program were updates from ANCA Chapters
>From across the United States, documenting their efforts to pass
H.Res.106 and encouraging Armenian Americans to get involved
locally and nationally. The unified voice of the Armenian American
community in support of Armenian Genocide legislation was heard
loud and clear throughout the broadcast, as citizen-activists from
Los Angeles to New York called in to pledge their commitment to
this human rights legislation.

The October 10th House Foreign Affairs Committee vote approved
H.Res.106 by 27 to 21, despite a public call by President Bush,
announced during a White House press conference, against the
measure. In the wake of its adoption, over 5000 print, on-line and
broadcast news items have covered this measure. H.Res.106
currently has over 200 cosponsors, while a similar measure in the
Senate, led by Senators Richard Durbin (D-IL) and John Ensign (R-
NV), has 33 cosponsors.

His Eminence Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian, Prelate of the
Western Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church, serves as
spiritual leader of Armenian Prelacy Churches in the Western United
States. The Prelacy’s region in California extends from San
Francisco to Fresno, Los Angeles and Orange County. The Prelacy
also provides services and spiritual assistance to the Armenian
communities in other states in the western United States,
including: Utah, Oregon, Colorado, Arizona and Nevada.

Panorama.am

18:16 19/10/2007

COMMUNITY AND RIGHT: `CITY AUTHORITIES HAVE ALWAYS CHEATED’

In the course of May-October, issues related to property rights of
about 400 residents in Yerevan were solved. Until the end of the year,
another 1500 will get property certificates, `Community and Right’ NGO
Chairman Samuel Lazarian, told a news conference today. In his words,
the problems of residents living in Kozern have been
settled. Processes are under way to recover property rights of the
residents of Miasnikyan and Norq communities, he said.

`The city authorities have always cheated the residents making use of
their low legal awareness,’ Lazarian said. He highlighted that the
lack of awareness on own rights causes problems in future. In his
words, the leaders of the field ground their actions on city building
norms, however, most are not met nowadays. The lawyer was discontent
that until now these norms are not clearly defined. `Some of the
decisions of the municipality are out of the legal field, which will
cause problems in future,’ he said.

Source: Panorama.am

ARMENIA AND GREECE TO SIGN 2008 PROGRAM-DOCUMENT ON MILITARY
COOPERATION

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 19, NOYAN TAPAN. The delegation headed by General
Dimitrios Ghrapsas, the Chief of the Headquarters of the National
Defence of the Republic of Greece, will arrive in Armenia on October 22
on a three-day official visit.

According to the information provided by Seyran Shahsuvarian, the
Spokesperson of the RA Minister of Defence, General Ghrapsas will meet
with the RA Minister of Defence and Colonel-General Seyran Ohanian, the
Chief of the RA Armed Forces Headquarters and the first Deputy Minister
of Defence. A visit to the Armenian peacekeeping regiment is also
envisaged. A 2008 program on bilateral military cooperation is
envisaged to be signed between the defensive departments of the two
countries.

Within the frameworks of the visit the Chief of the Headquarters of the
National Defence of the Republic of Greece and his wife will visit the
memorial of Tsiternakaberd, put a wreath to the memory of the victims
of the Armenian genocide and make notes in the notebook of the museum
of the Armenian Genocide.

PanARMENIAN.Net

California lawmakers urge House of Representatives to pass H.Res.106
19.10.2007 16:51 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ California Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez (D-Los
Angeles) and Assembly member Paul Krekorian (D-Burbank) today sent a
letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi urging Congress to support the
Armenian Genocide resolution. The letter says:

"Dear Madam Speaker:

"We understand that the House vote on the resolution recognizing the
1915 slaughter of Armenians as genocide may be in doubt pending a
reassessment of support for the measure to be conducted by Rep. Adam
Schiff, one of the bill’s lead sponsors.

"It is our strong hope that the members of the California delegation,
in fact all members of Congress, will resist the strong outside
pressure not to vote on the resolution and will stand up in support of
the truth.

"As you know, California is home to a large and dynamic Armenian
community, whose calls for recognition and remembrance have been
powerful and persuasive. These calls have not been limited to this
community that has been most impacted, however. Americans of all
backgrounds who care about truth and justice and the prevention of
future atrocities have likewise demanded recognition of the Armenian
Genocide.

"The California Legislature is on record via Assembly Joint Resolution
15 (Krekorian) commemorating and condemning this genocide, and also,
it should be noted, acknowledging those Turks who risked their lives
to protect Armenians from harm. Clearly the relationship between
Turkey and the United States is a vital one. Just as clearly, our
nation’s relationships need not and should not rest on a rotted
framework of revisionist history.

"Congressman Schiff and his co-sponsors were right to bring this bill
forward. You have been right in letting it advance. We sincerely hope
these good efforts will be rewarded in the ultimate passage of this
important and long overdue step toward justice.’

October 10, the House Foreign Affairs Committee with a vote 27 to 21
passed the Armenian Genocide resolution. The date for full House vote
has not been fixed yet. Meanwhile, 7 Congressmen have already
recalled their signatures.

Morning Star
October 19, 2007 Friday

World – US Speaker retreats on recognition of Armenian genocide

US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi retreated on
Thursday over a vote to recognise the Armenian genocide after several
members withdrew their support for the proposed resolution because of
fears that it would cripple US relations with Turkey.

"Whether it will come up or not, or what the action will be, remains
to be seen," equivocated Ms Pelosi, who controls the House’s agenda.

Both she and the House majority leader had pledged earlier that, if
the resolution cleared the foreign affairs committee, the full house
would vote on it by the end of the year.

The proposal, which would label as genocide the killing of Armenians
a century ago by Ottoman Turks, has inflamed US tensions with Turkey,
which insists that the death toll has been inflated and the Armenians
died during civil unrest, not organised genocide.

Support for the resolution deteriorated this week after Turkey
summoned its US ambassador to Ankara and several politicians spoke
out against it.

Representative John Murtha, a senior Democrat who is considered
influential on military affairs, said that his party’s leaders had
miscalculated support for the resolution. He predicted that such a
vote would fail easily.

"If it came to the floor today, it would not pass," with some 55 to
60 Democrats opposing the measure, said Mr Murtha.

Lragir, Armenia
Oct 19 2007

DASHNAKTSUTYUN DISBELIEVES PUBLIC POLLS

`In describing the state of the election system in Armenia I can say
that people may support one force, but the outcome of the election
may bring another force to power,’ stated Armen Rustamyan,
representative of the ARF Dashnaktsutyun Supreme Body, a likely
presidential candidate, on October 19 at the Hayeli club. According
to him, there are three options: free expression of will, buying or
imposing the right to vote. `There are two atrocious phenomena in
Armenia which simply seize the right to vote from people. One pays
and buys the right to use it, the other makes using this right for
the force they point to. These two components cause a crack between
real support and the outcome of the election, which usually do not
coincide, there is a huge gap between them,’ Armen Rustamyan says.

He touched upon this issue when the reporters asked him whether
Dashnaktsutyun believes the ratings in which Serge Sargsyan ranks
one.

`We do not have a personified approach. Our approach is inside the
system. If we are not eliminating the disadvantages of this system,
one day Serge Sargsyan will benefit from it, on the other day someone
else. I don’t know. You see, the system is such that it tempts
people. If one can abuse the system without responsibility, without
major consequences, without punishment, it’s all the same. Therefore,
we are saying we should not believe in saviors, perfect persons. The
system should reject this. If it rejects, it means you can conduct a
poll, and the person whom people support will be elected, like in the
rest of the world,’ Armen Rustamyan says.

Lragir, Armenia
Oct 17 2007

TODAY THE DIASPORA SHOULD HELP ARMENIA

The Washington Post published an articled headlined `Today the
Diaspora Should Help Armenia’ which holds that the Armenian Diaspora
could have achieved much more if it had made similar efforts to
promote democracy in their historical fatherland rather than to push
the resolution through the U.S. Congress. In that case the level of
democracy in modern Armenia might be like in modern Turkey.

The Emory Wheel
Oct 19 2007

An Interview With Paul Rusesabagina

By Michelle Ye Hee Lee
Posted: 10/19/2007

Rwandan genocide survivor Paul Rusesabagina spoke on the importance
of taking action to end genocide on Tuesday at the State of the Race.
In an interview with the Wheel before his speech, he delved into the
details of his experiences, ranging from the pain of learning about
his relatives’ brutal deaths to his views on the U.S. resolution to
recognize the Armenian genocide.
– Asst. News Editor Michelle Ye Hee Lee

ML: How accurately does the movie `Hotel Rwanda’ reflect your
experiences?
PR: Filmmakers modified a few scenes. A few characters are composite
characters, but otherwise Hotel Rwanda is a true story of what was
going on in the place. But sometimes, a lot of is less violent than
the real life.

ML: What will your message be at the State of Race speech?
PR: I will be speaking about my experiences, and also urging the
international community in my speech to stand up and raise awareness
and help intervene where they have to. Like in Darfur… and like in
Congo, another forgotten key field where more than four million
people have been killed. And each and every one of us has kept quiet.
Silent. And silence, to me, is agreement.

ML: How did you find the courage to risk your safety sheltering
civilians in the Milles Collines hotel?
PR: Sometimes when you grow up, you learn some lessons that you do
not even think about it. So definitely there have been lessons I
learned throughout my youth that I never realized I was learning. For
instance, I was born and grew up in the Seventh Day Adventist church.
My mother was a very good Seventh Day Adventist church member, a very
good one who grew up paying each and every month a tenth of what we
made at home. When I went abroad, I studied theology. I wanted to be
a minister. I also grew up with my father, who when I was born was 56
years old. He was an old man. But who was, in his lifetime, very
straight forward, very correct. [He used to say] that if two brothers
were fighting, and you are called upon to separate it, you shouldn’t
look those guys, one on your right hand side, or the left hand side.
You do not have to look at all at your right because you might be
influenced by the one on your right hand side, or on the left hand
side because that one might also influence you. You only have to look
up and see the truth, and only the truth. That is how he was. So
there are many factors that influence a human being.

ML: What is one memory that is most vivid to you from your experience
at the hotel?
PR: Well, I will tell you that all that went through in 1994 would
never [leave my memory]. I recall that as if it was happening today
or as if it has happened yesterday. Those are things you can never
forget in your life. For instance I’ll give you an example. You saw
definitely Sept. 11, 2001 – each and every one here in the room so
that you remember definitely where you were when you saw this for the
first time, and even what you were doing and what photo. You remember
each and every thing in detail. That is how I remember the Rwandan
genocide in detail. Of course there are events which are many times
much more marks a human beings life. I’ll give you an example it was
on July 4, 1994, about a week after the Tutsi rebels have taken over,
my wife, my friend and myself we took a decision to take a car and go
down south where we were born, the three of us. All of us had been in
the Milles Collines hotel and had no idea what had been happening
outside. I had in mind that all that happened [outside was like] in
the Milles Collines because no one was killed. No one was touched. So
I had in mind that the whole country was just like that. But on the
way down south, the whole country was smelling death. You could see
many dead bodies around the streets. There was no human being alive.
No animal alive. We could only hear dogs barking from very far, and
see a lot of flies. We drove up to my place. I noticed that my elder
sister had been killed by the Tutsi rebels, my younger brother was
also killed by the Tutsi rebels, many of our cousins were being burnt
by the rebels who were taking over that place. We saw them burning in
houses. And my brother looked at me and said, `What the hell brings
you here? What are you doing in this place?’ I started asking
questions where people were, our neighbors, our family members. He
showed me houses in which many of them were burning. At the given
time, he told me: `Leave this place.’ We drove down south, went to
see our mother-in-law. When we arrived she had been killed with her
daughter-in-law. They were thrown in a pit where we used to mature
bananas. So you can imagine that time, that image will [not] get out
of my head. I sat down with my wife and my friend and we cried. We
will never forget the night of such an event, among many others.

ML: Your State of the Race speech is titled `Hotel Rwanda: A Lesson
to be Learned.’ What exactly is the lesson to be learned?
PR: Unfortunately, the lessons to be learned have never been learned
but the most important lesson to us is to speak out. To talk about
what happened in Rwanda, in the Rwandan genocide. To teach, to
prepare, to get together as people [are] concerned, and you are
international community. Help us get together and sit down and talk,
because I believe in the life that words can be the best weapons if
you want to fight for good, and the worst if you’re fighting for
evil. So I believe that only through the truth, the truth is a must
in order to reconcile such a talk in a wounded nation. So a lesson to
be learned is to sit down and talk and to raise awareness. In most
cases the leaders don’t know that you, the people, are informed. Tell
your senators and your representatives. Let them know that you are
aware, and ask them to tell the admin, and the admin will convey def
a message to those who are killing their own people. … Just as in
South Africa many people fought against apartheid in late 80s, early
90s when schools here in America closed and went out to the streets.
And today where is apartheid? Nowhere.

ML: What is the situation in Rwanda today and do you worry because
you’ve been talked about so viciously?
PR: I’ve been a target from the government because I speak up. And in
my life since I never kept quiet in 1994 during the genocide. I never
see myself today being silent. During that time we were almost in a
kind of sea of fire. … [We have to] speak out. Talk. Tell the
world. I can’t see myself keeping quiet.

ML: What are your hopes for Rwanda?
PR: Me, I have that kind of nostalgia to go back home. But my
children are settled. My two daughters are married, they live in
Europe with their husbands. My elder son is in college in America, my
younger son is in boarding school in Boston. They’re not really
interested in going back to Rwanda. The young ones have been staying
abroad in exile since 1996. Sept. 6 was my 11th anniversary in exile.
So they’re not really excited to go back to Rwanda. But to me, going
back to Rwanda has ever been my dream. Especially I do not accept one
thing – someone taking all my rights. I miss everything. Sometimes I
think about it. I was born in a very beautiful hilly region. I miss
those mountains and hills. I miss the school where I went for my high
school and primary school. Where I used to go to Sabbath school every
day, I miss that school and I miss that track.

ML: What is your opinion on the U.S. resolution to recognize the
Armenian genocide?
PR: I believe that in my life, we have to call each and anything by
its name. A genocide has been defined by the Geneva Resolution of
1952. Anyone who commits a genocide is committing a genocide, and we
should have the courage to call a genocide by its name. So I admire
the U.S. government to have taken that decision but I would be
happier if the U.S. administration goes farther than that. After
calling it a genocide we should put our words into actions. We always
tend to speak much and do very little.