Author: Vardapetian Ophelia

Today’s Zaman, Turkey
Aug 24 2007

Turkey, Israel in bid to contain damage after ADL move

Turkish officials voiced "deep disappointment" on Thursday over an
influential US Jewish group’s labeling of the World War I killing of
Anatolian Armenians as genocide, stressing that calling the 1915
incidents genocide has neither historical nor legal grounds.

Prime Minister Tayyip Erdoðan expressed concern over the
Anti-Defamation League’s move during a phone conversation with his
Israeli counterpart, Shimon Peres, Israeli officials said. Erdoðan
stressed the "futility" of the organization’s decision to call the
events as genocide in the conversation and Peres responded saying
that Israel’s well known position on the issue of genocide claims has
not changed. The Israeli prime minister also said Israel attached
great importance to relations with Turkey and promised to "advocate
Turkey’s position on the issue in the US."

Separately, Foreign Minister Abdullah Gül voiced Ankara’s uneasiness
and disappointment with the ADL move during a meeting with Israel’s
outgoing ambassador to Turkey, Pinhas Aviv, who paid a visit to the
minister at his office at ministry headquarters on Thursday. Turkish
diplomats warned that the ADL statement might have negative impacts
on Turkish-Israeli as well as on Turkey-US relations.

The New York-based Anti-Defamation League earlier this week reversed
its longtime policy by calling the World War I killing of Anatolian
Armenians genocide — a change that comes days after the ADL fired a
regional director for taking the same position. ADL Director Abraham
Foxman’s statement that the killings of Armenians by Muslim Turks
"were indeed tantamount to genocide" came after weeks of controversy
in which critics questioned whether an organization dedicated to
remembering Holocaust victims could remain credible without
acknowledging the Armenian killings as genocide.

Israeli news reports said yesterday that Turkish Ambassador Namýk Tan
was cutting short his holiday in Turkey to return to Israel and
express Turkey’s concerns over the ADL decision to Israeli officials.
But Foreign Ministry officials denied the reports, saying Tan was due
to return to work since his vacation ended.

Armenians claim up to 1.5 million of their kinsmen died in a
systematic genocide campaign by Ottoman Turks around the time of
World War I, but Ankara categorically rejects the label, saying that
both Armenians and Turks died in civil strife during World War I when
the Armenians took up arms for independence in eastern Anatolia and
sided with Russian troops invading the crumbling Ottoman Empire.

Late on Wednesday, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Levent Bilman said
in a statement that there was no "consensus" among scientists and
historians that events of World War I constituted genocide, contrary
to the ADL’s conviction that there is. "Moreover, it is Turkey who
has asked Armenia to establish a joint commission and reveal the
historical realities. No positive response has yet been made to this
offer. The ADL’s attempt to rewrite history via a decision it made is
constituting a contradiction and its justification cannot be
understood," Bilman said, referring to the fact that Turkish Prime
Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoðan sent a letter to Armenian President
Robert Kocharian in 2005, inviting him to establish a joint
commission of historians and experts from both Turkey and Armenia to
study the events of 1915 in the archives of Turkey, Armenia and other
relevant countries around the world.

Bilman recalled that the decision announced by ADL Director Foxman
also emphasized that they "continue to firmly believe that a
Congressional resolution on such matters is a counterproductive
diversion and will not foster reconciliation between Turks and
Armenians and may put at risk the Turkish Jewish community and the
important multilateral relationship between Turkey, Israel and the
United States."

"On the other hand, the Jewish community in our country is a part of
our society and there isn’t any particularity that they should fear
of concerning developments related to the Armenian allegations,"
Bilman said. "We consider this statement, which also constitutes
fairness to the unique position of the Holocaust in the history as
well as to memories of its [Holocaust’s] victims, as a misfortune and
expect it be corrected," he concluded.

Meanwhile in Washington, the US administration made clear that its
policy on the Armenian issue remained unchanged. "Our policy remains.
It’s clear. We mourn the victims of the tragic events of 1915 and
call on Turks and Armenians to come to terms with the past through
candid and heartfelt dialogue. We oppose attempts to make political
determinations on the terminology of this tragedy," Gonzalo R.
Gallegos, director of the Office of Press Relations at the State
Department, told reporters on Wednesday.

Ankara doesn’t exclude the probability of pressure on the ADL from
certain US Congress members. Two separate resolutions are pending in
the US Senate and House of Representatives urging the administration
to recognize the killings as genocide. Turkey has warned that passage
of the resolutions in the US Congress would seriously harm relations
with Washington and impair cooperation in Iraq and Afghanistan. The
US administration has said it is opposed to the resolution, but the
congressional process is an independent one. In his message on April
24, which Armenians claim marks the anniversary of the beginning of a
systematic genocide campaign at the hands of the late Ottoman Empire,
US President George W. Bush adhered to the administration policy of
not referring to the incident as genocide.

24.08.2007

Today’s Zaman Ankar

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
Aug 24 2007

Armenian militants withdraw with loss in battle in Aghdam, Karabakh

[ 24 Aug 2007 13:20 ]

Two UAZ cars with Armenian military men in Armenian-occupied
Yusifjanli village of Azerbaijani Aghdam region attempted to come up
to the positions of Azerbaijani Army through the Gargar River at
9a.m.today, APA’s Karabakh bureau reports.

Following warning fire of Azerbaijani Army, Armenian militants
started to attack on our positions. In the two-hour battle, Armenians
withdrew after suffering loss. /APA/

RUMORS ON NOMINATION FAVOR SERGE SARGSYAN

Lragir.am
24-08-2007 17:07:44

On August 24 the Friday Club hosted Arshak Sadoyan. In the beginning he
repeated his proposal to the political forces to set up a TV channel or
to buy one hour of airtime on any channel and added that the proposal
remains valid. According to Arshak Sadoyan, he plans to hold a meeting
in September with NGOs, as well as international organization to work
out a policy of forming a civil society. In particular, he proposes
creating groups of 5 to 7 at each of the 2000 polling stations who know
and trust each other to be able to control the conduct of the election
and prevent election fraud. The meeting may also make a decision
regarding the TV channel. According to Sadoyan, only pressure of the
government may create problems, and in this case it will mean that
they do not want to have even an hour of freedom of speech in Armenia.

With regard to the nomination of Levon Ter-Petrosyan Arshak Sadoyan
said: "I think Levon Ter-Petrosyan is an experienced politician and
acknowledges that returning to politics after such a lasting pause is
a major inertial process and takes much time. On the other hand, it
is obvious that these rumors favor Serge Sargsyan and the government
in general."

According to him, Armenia took the wrong political line when Levon
Ter-Petrosyan was president, he is the architect of this wrong policy.

Arshak Sadoyan thinks a natural leader is born and crystallizes in
action, and Vazgen Manukyan is the best of such leaders.

With regard to public polls Arshak Sadoyan said sociology is a
serious science, but he cannot take seriously the public polls that
are conducted now.

FOREIGN MINISTRY CALLS ON CERTAIN CATEGORY OF ARMENIANS TO AVOID VISITING GEORGIA

ARMENPRESS
Aug 24, 2007

YEREVAN, AUGUST 24, ARMENPRESS: Armenian foreign ministry has
again called on Armenian citizens who passed illegally from Russia
to Georgia’s breakaway regions of Abkhazia or South Ossetia (when
passing the border their passports are stamped by the authorities of
both self-proclaimed republics ) to refrain from visiting Georgia.

The ministry explained that under the amended Georgian legislation
passing from Russia to Abkhazia and South Ossetia is regarded a
criminal offence.

Therefore, it said, people who pass from Russia to both regions
through check points on their borders with Russia are subject to
criminal punishment. under article 344 of Georgia’s Criminal Code.

It said point 1 of this article envisages a sizable penalty for
offenders, while the point 2 envisages an imprisonment up to five years
if the border was violated by a group, who used force or violence to
do so.

The Armenian foreign ministry said this law is applicable to citizens
of all countries. It said there is one legal border check point on
Georgian-Russian border near Upper Lars, which was closed by Russia
for repair years ago and is not effective yet.

UAZ CARS FOR VILLAGES OF KASHATAGH REGION

KarabakhOpen
21-08-2007 10:14:53

The Martik Newspaper reported that the deputy minister of
defense Samvel Karapetyan, chair of the NKR Union of Azatamartiks,
visited the regions of Kashatagh and Karvachar and met with former
azatamartiks. UAZ cars were provided to the communities of Ishkhanadzor
and Moshatagh thanks to president elect Bako Sahakyan, a member of
the board of the NKR Union of Azatamartiks.

2,407 ELEVATORS TO BE REPAIRED, ANOTHER 50 – REPLACED WITH NEW ONES IN YEREVAN

Noyan Tapan
Aug 20, 2007

YEREVAN, AUGUST 20, NOYAN TAPAN. 384 out of 4,261 elevators in Yerevan
are not operating, the deputy mayor of Yerevan Vano Vardanian said
at the August 20 press conference. According to him, 2,407 elevators
must be repaired and another 50 be replaced with new ones.

The deputy mayor noted that the reinforcement of two out of the 8
accident-prone apartment buildings (envisahed by this year’s program)
has been completed. The reinforcement of the 6 other buildings will
finish in October.

Speaking about work on buildings’ centralized heating, V. vardanian
said that 57 bolier houses were leased under the 2004-2007 local
heating program.

ARMEN NALBANDIAN TO RETURN FOR FOURTH & FINAL SEASON AT FRESNO ART MUSEUM CONCERT SERIES

All About Jazz
4844
Aug 18 2007

In a formal announcement made this week, Pianist/composer Armen
Nalbandian, in conjunction with his label Blacksmith Brother
Music/Noise Boutique, has officially announced his return as Musical
Director/Resident Artist of the Fresno Art Museum for his fourth
and final season. Since 2004, Nalbandian has curated the museum’s
"Rhythms of Art" concert series.

The Rhythms of Art is a highly original and innovative program that
highlights the museum’s exhibited art through original compositions
and improvisations by Nalbandian and his guet musicians. Over the past
three concert seasons, the program has presented over 110 musicians,
7 benefit concerts, 36 concerts and premiered over 275 original
compositions.

Nalbandian’s 2007-2008 R.O.A. season will feature 6 concerts of
original music in a period from September 2007 to July 2008. Four
of the 6 concerts will feature original music inspired by the art,
and the remaining two scheduled concerts will showcase additional
music from Armen Nalbandian as well as various collaborative meetings.

These collaborative meetings, it was announced, will feature some of
the world’s most important living musicians in a duet format with
Nalbandian. Nalbandian stated that the full concert season will be
announced in the first week of September.

SCHOOL UNIFORM WITHOUT UNANIMITY

Panorama.am
15:34 20/08/2007

Panorama.am talked to Education Department Deputy Head of Yerevan
Municipality Armine Vardanyan on calls made on "collection of money
on a voluntary basis" in relation to school uniforms.

"No uniform," Vardanyan stressed underscoring that this instruction
has been made by the Department of Education.

"A decision in regards to uniforms has not been taken by any
educational institution. All these may be considered the result of
voluntarism of parents and school principals," the deputy head of
the education department assured.

Even that there is no decision on a common uniform, the deputy
head believes "it is desirable that schoolchildren go to school in
traditional white shirt and dark color trousers or a skirt."

In relation to cautionary calls, it turned out the education department
has also got complaints on the same subject but "everything has been
worked out."

The interlocutor of Panorama.am also said the education department
has left the initiatives connected with money and the possibility
of choosing uniforms "at the discretion of the parents and their
free choice."

It may be unclear what solutions may be taken on spots when
some parents will not be able or willing to join "the army of the
volunteers." To recall, according to Sargis Tkhruni Union statement,
the principal of N 151 school has collected 15,000 Armenian drams
from each student for sewing a school uniform.

ILHAM ALIYEV GUARANTEES SECURITY OF ARMENIAN SPORTSMEN IN AZERBAIJAN

arminfo
2007-08-17 14:22:00

Greco-Roman wrestling team from Armenia comprising 16 sportsmen will
arrive in Azerbaijan on September 15. Another Armenian catch-style
team consisting of 17 people will arrive in Azerbaijan on September
16. TURAN reports that Secretary General of the Azerbaijani
Wrestling Federation Dzhavid Gurbanov made the above statement at
a press conference in connection with the Greco-Roman Wrestling
World Championship to be held in Baku in September. As regards the
Armenian teams, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev is a guarantor
of their security, Gurbanov said. The winners of the first eight
places in each category will participate in the Beijing Olympiad. The
Championship will take place at the sport and concert complex in
Tbilissky Avenue. The admission is free, Gurbanov said.

The source reports that the Azerbaijani Organization for Liberation
of Karabakh protests the arrival of Armenians in Baku.

Hastert Say He’s Not Seeking Re-Election
Updated 12:23 PM ET August 17, 2007
By DEANNA BELLANDI
X-Sender: Asbed Bedrossian <[email protected]>
X-Listprocessor-Version: 8.1 — ListProcessor(tm) by CREN

YORKVILLE, Ill. (AP) – Rep. Dennis Hastert, who was speaker of the
House longer than any Republican, announced Friday morning he will not
seek another term in Congress.

Speaking to hundreds of supporters outside the Kendall County
courthouse in his northern Illinois district, Hastert thanked staff,
supporters and voters who helped keep him in office for 20 years.

"Together, we have made a difference," he said. Citing legislation for
domestic security, Medicare, technology research, Social Security and
alternative fuel sources, he added, "We passed improvements that have
quietly made a real difference in people’s lives."

President Bush praised Hastert in a statement. "Drawing on lessons he
learned as a coach, he successfully guided Members of Congress to work
together to enact legislation that has improved the lives of
Americans," Bush said.

Retirement speculation had circulated since Hastert forfeited the
powerful speaker’s post when Republicans lost control of the House in
last year’s elections. Hastert, 65, declined to run for minority
leader, taking on a role as elder statesman among Republicans.

In his release, Hastert said his accomplishments as a congressman for
his northern Illinois district and as House speaker weren’t his own
doing, but happened because of support from constituents, friends and
colleagues.

"We worked together to pass legislation to provide a service or to
meet the need or those we served," he said. "We fought for our beliefs
and worked to improve our communities, our district and our country."

Hastert’s retirement has local Democrats starting to boast they can
win another congressional seat, even as the GOP vows it won’t easily
give up a seat it has held for two decades. Hastert was considered by
many to be unbeatable in his northern Illinois district.

"Any Democrat thinking of getting into this race does so at his or her
own peril," said National Republican Congressional Committee spokesman
Ken Spain.

A Hastert vacancy is the second in Illinois that Republicans would
have to contend with because retiring Rep. Ray LaHood is giving up a
central Illinois congressional seat controlled by the GOP for nearly
90 years. LaHood will leave when his term ends in January 2009.

National Republicans "now have to defend another open seat in a blue
state where the president is incredibly unpopular," said DCCC
spokesman Doug Thornell.

Thornell said a race to replace Hastert would be a "a real
opportunity" for Democrats in a "competitive district." The district
stretches from Hastert’s Plano home south of Chicago all the way to
the Mississippi River.

Some local Democrats say they might snag Hastert’s district away from
Republicans because the populated areas are leaning more Democratic as
people migrate there from the heavily Democratic city of Chicago in
search of less expensive housing. They also point to last year’s
election, when two Democrats from Hastert’s district won open seats in
the Illinois Senate that had been held by Republicans.

"Times, they have a-changed," said state Sen. Michael Noland, one of
those Democrats who now represents the Elgin area west of Chicago.

President Bush carried the district in 2004 with 55 percent of the
vote.