Category: News

Azeri Foreign Ministry denies Armenian military officers arrived “secretly”
ANS TV, Baku
23 Jun 04

The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry has denied Parliament Speaker Murtuz
Alasgarov’s statement that Armenian officers have come to Baku
secretly.
According to the ministry, Deputy Foreign Minister Araz Azimov made a
special statement as regards the Armenian officers’ visit to Baku
several days ago.
The final planning conference of the NATO Partnership for Peace
exercises due in September is expected to complete its work in Baku
today. The Armenian officers who have come to the Azerbaijani capital
to attend the conference will leave the country only after the
conference.
Those detained outside Hotel Europe yesterday [22 June] in a protest
at the Armenians’ visit, as well as the chairman of the Karabakh
Liberation Organization, have been taken to a remand facility in Qara
Sahar [Black City], said a source from the 20th police station of the
Nasimi district police department.

Azeri MPs say Armenian officers’ visit “disgrace”
ANS TV, Baku
22 Jun 04

[Presenter in studio] Our parliamentary correspondent has tried to
find out the deputies’ reaction to the visit of Armenian officers.
[Correspondent] I will deliberately not talk about the draft laws
discussed in parliament today. Because while this session of the
parliament was under way, a conference comfortably attended by two
Armenian officers was in progress only 1 km away. By joining that
meeting, Armenians actually insulted the spirit of thousands of
Azerbaijanis killed while defending the country’s territorial
integrity.
Therefore, I will not waste your time by speaking about the
discussions on joining the international postal convention or on the
draft law on state secrets. As a parliamentary correspondent of the
independent republic of Azerbaijan, I personally think it is much more
interesting to watch the reaction of the Milli Maclis [parliament]
chairman to statements by a number of MPs who tried to express their
protest at the Armenian officers’ visit. He simply cut their
statements short.
[Speaker Murtuz Alasgarov shown during parliament session] We are not
discussing that. Is that clear?
[Correspondent] But it is reassuring that even though the parliament’s
assembly hall is simply a place of gossip for many, at least some
deputies did have the courage not to remain tight-lipped.
[MP Zahid Oruc, captioned] I would like to say a few words about the
two Armenians. We have to express our protest today, Murtuz muallim
[form of address]. On Friday our protests will not be worth anything.
[MP Fazail Agamali] Time is passing. It has to be done today. It
cannot be postponed until tomorrow.
[Speaker Alasgarov] Let me repeat, this concerns everyone, so please
take this into account. We will discuss the issue on Friday.
[Another MP, not captioned] Government bodies which respect themselves
should not have allowed the occupying army’s officers to come here. Of
course [interrupted].
[Alasgarov] Listen, we are not discussing this issue. Is that clear?
[MP Sabir Rustamxanli] Please don’t interrupt us. We, members of the
Azerbaijani parliament and citizens of a country at war, think that it
is a disgrace to have allowed representatives of the Armenian army,
whose hands are imbrued with Azerbaijani blood, to set foot on our
soil. This is unacceptable.
[Correspondent] The chairman of the Milli Maclis eventually had to say
his word.
[Alasgarov] They have come secretly and will leave after the first
meeting of the conference.
[Correspondent] The parliament speaker was right, they will leave. But
we will stay: elected from the occupied Qubadli and Zangilan
Districts, MP Imamverdi Ismayilov, who asks in his books whether our
lands and our houses occupied by the enemy are still there, elected
from Xocali Elman Mammadov, a representative of Cabrayil, Karam
Aliyev, and others. And us. But what has been done cannot be
undone. The Armenians have come, seen and won. Yet another time. No
matter how this is being presented to us.
Afat Telmanqizi and Azar Qarayev, ANS.

Germany to help Armenia improve water supplies
Public Television of Armenia, Yerevan
22 Jun 04
[Presenter] Armenian and German businessmen are preparing cooperation
plans. The Armenian side is presenting in Berlin proposals to
increase the volume of commodity turnover. Armenian legislation is
more liberal on protecting investment and ensuring economic
competition.
[Correspondent Hermine Bagdasaryan from Berlin] An additional 8m euros
to improve water supplies to Armenia’s distant districts – Armenian
Prime Minister Andranik has reached this agreement with German
Minister of Economic Cooperation and Development Heidemarie
Wieczorek-Zeul. This is not the beginning of German support, but a
continuation of several years of a programme of improvement for the
republic’s water supply, assisting small and medium-sized businesses
and developing alternative sources of energy.
Minister Zeul asked Andranik Markaryan about the Caucasus Initiative
programme, expressing concern that only Armenia and Georgia are
involved in it. Our neighbours [Azerbaijan] politicize our joint
cooperation in the ecological and economic sectors although Armenia
has declared its readiness for cooperation without any conditions,
Andranik Markaryan said.
Markaryan and Zeul also discussed a peaceful settlement to the
Karabakh problem.
The agenda of the Armenian delegation also included economic
events. More than 200 businessmen have arrived in Berlin to take part
in the Armenian-German economic cooperation forum and industrial
exhibition.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Azeri police arrest organizers of attack on NATO conference
ANS TV, Baku
22 Jun 04

The trial of those arrested in the protest action organized by the
Karabakh Liberation Organization outside Hotel Europe, the venue of a
NATO conference attended by two Armenian officers, was held today. Two
of the arrested, Barat Elmanli and Gunduz Umudov, have been released.
The chief of the Nasimi district police department, Bagir Bagirov, has
told ANS that criminal proceedings have been instituted against five
other people, including the chairman of the Karabakh Liberation
Organization, Akif Nagi.
They are being charged with hooliganism.

England’s Short knocked-out of World Chess Championship in Libya
AP Online
Jun 23, 2004
MAHMOUD KASSEM

The top two chess players at the World Chess Championship have earned
a place in round three that starts Wednesday but England’s Nigel
D. Short was knocked out the night before in the biggest upset of the
tournament so far.
Short, world No. 15 and No. 5 in the tournament, drew Tuesday’s second
round two game with his Polish opponent Michal Krasenkow after 71
moves in an English defense opening that forced the Brit to bow out of
the contest early.
The English grandmaster who was once a world champion finalist against
Garry Kasparov lost his game Monday with Krasenkow, seeded No. 57 in
the competition, due to a serious blunder that robbed him of a
rook. He needed to win Tuesday’s game to have a chance at a tiebreaker
with his weaker-ranked Polish opponent.
Shorts compatriot Michael Adams, No. 2 in the tournament and No. 8 in
the world, fared better in the day’s games, beating his Armenian
opponent Karen Asrian with comeback determination. A draw between the
two players in the first game of round two on Monday had upped the
stakes for Tuesday’s match.
Asrian, the weaker player, initiated a Caro-Kann exchange defense that
developed into Panov-Botvinnik attack but he could not stave away his
opponent’s meticulous thrust and resigned after 46 moves.
Tournament favorite Veselin Topalov of Bulgaria continued to sail
through the opening rounds without much suspense.
Elsewhere, the youngest player and only American left in the
tournament, 16-year-old Hikaru Nakamura, proved that he had done his
homework before coming to Tripoli. He made it to round three after
beating his higher ranked opponent by 1.5 points to half a point.
“Yesterday’s game, which I won, was more exciting because today was
just a draw. Both of us were low on time and I managed to outplay him
with a rook and a knight,” Nakamura told The Associated Press of the
creative endgame from Monday’s first game of round one.
Fifteen of the 32 games played Tuesday ended in draws and required
rapid and blitz games to eliminate the stubborn hangers on.
Cuba’s Lenier Dominguez, one of eight players to reach the final
sudden death round, displayed inspiring stamina to topple higher-rated
Vladimir Malakhov of Russia in a battle that lasted until the early
hours of Wednesday.
Short on time, Dominguez got a lucky draw in the second blitz game but
came back with a strong attack in the sudden death round and cordoned
off black’s king with two rooks and a queen on the “f” file.
The World Chess Federation, known by its French initials FIDE, began
its Tripoli championship Saturday despite Libya’s refusal to allow
players from Israel and the absence of many top players. Only two of
FIDE’s top 10 were participating, apparently because many players were
angry that the world’s strongest rated player, Kasparov of Russia, was
to be allowed to play the winner without having to go through
qualifying rounds.
Libya, which is putting up the US$1.5 million in prize money for the
tournament, has been struggling to shake off its reputation as a rogue
state that sponsors terrorism and foments trouble around the
world. Welcoming the chess tournament and making a failed bid to host
the 2010 soccer World Cup were seen as part of a campaign to clean up
its international image.

Azeri pundits against Armenian officers’ presence at Baku-hosted NATO
meeting
Ekspress, Baku
23 Jun 04

Text of Telman report by Azerbaijani newspaper Ekspress on 23 June
headlined “Armenians pursue certain goals in coming to Baku” and
subheaded “According to experts, they are trying to disrupt the NATO
event”
Armenian officers have attended a regular NATO conference which was
held in Baku within the framework of the Partnership for Peace
programme.
Political expert Aydin Agayev thinks that the Armenian officers tried
to disrupt the conference by attending it and damage relations between
our country and this bloc. [Unclear sentence omitted]
Agayev thinks that refusal to cooperate with leading organizations
will bring about Azerbaijan’s isolation as is the case with
neighbouring Iran. However, our interviewee said he was tired of those
organizations’ biased statements and double standards.
Political expert Xaladdin Ibrahimli described the green light to the
Armenians’ arrival in Baku as a mistake.
“I cannot understand how the Armenian officers who have occupied our
lands are allowed to come to Azerbaijan?”
The political experts think that not only individuals, but also
society itself – politicians, NGOs, the intelligentsia and journalists
– should oppose such cases.
The chairman of the supreme council of the Democratic Party of
Azerbaijan [DPA], Nuraddin Mammadli, thinks that protest actions over
the Nagornyy Karabakh problem are not sufficient. However, the DPA
member, who regards cooperation with NATO on military service as
important, does not want to see Azerbaijan and Armenia in the same
organization.
“According to the alliance’s regulations, its member countries should
not attack each other. Under these circumstances, the Nagornyy
Karabakh problem will become less important,” Mammadli said.

CENN – June 23, 2004 Daily Digest
Table of Contents:
Evaluation of CENN – Caucasus Environmental NGO Network Activities
World Group Management Response to the Extractive Industries Review
Vacancy Announcements
1. EVALUATION OF CENN – CAUCASUS ENVIRONMENTAL NGO NETWORK
ACTIVITIES
CENN – Caucasus Environmental NGO Network is conducting evaluation of its
activities and would like to ask you to participate in the study by
answering this checklist as accurately as possible. The information will
help us assess the CENN activities and improve our work in the future. We
ask you to answer the checklist and return it via e-mail till June 28, 2004.
We appreciate your cooperation! Thank you!
The Russian and English Version of the checklists are available on the
following address:
2. World Group Management Response to the Extractive Industries
Review
Dear Colleagues,
Please find a copy of the World Group Management Response to the Extractive
Industries Review. At the direction of CODE (Board Committee on Development
Effectiveness), it was released on June 18, 2004 for a public comment period
of 30 days.
Inga Paichadze
External Affairs
World Bank Office Tbilisi
Tel.: + 995 32 91 30 96 / 91 26 89
Fax: + 995 32 91 34 78
E-mail: [email protected]
The document is available on the following address:
ponse.pdf
3. Vacancy ANNOUNCEMENTs
A. Terms of Reference for Expert in Gender Issues
The Kura-Aras river system is an internationally significant river system,
which is seriously degraded and continues to be threatened. Water scarcity
is an issue at many points in the river system. Water quality and quantity
constraints may increasingly lead to disputes amongst water users over the
coming years. Integrated, multi-country, trans-boundary responses are
necessary to address the threats to the river system, and their underlying
causes. Women participation in water resource management and decision making
is relatively low in region, therefore gender-balanced participation in
managing water resources must be considered and action plan suggested.
Immediate objectives to be achieved
– Analysis of existing databases and information on gender issues
related to water resources management of the Kura-Aras River Basin;
– Identification and analysis of gender issues related to water
resources management of the Kura-Aras River Basin on the basis of
sociological data obtained through sociological study;
– Development of recommendations/action plan for addressing
identified gender issues;
– Mainstreaming the gender into the Programme activities.
Duties and responsibilities
In order to achieve the above-mentioned objectives, the UNDP will hire the
Expert in Gender Isuues to perform following:
– Identify role of Men and Women in water resources management in
Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan;
– Identify Women’s and men’s relative access to existing resources;
– Analyze constraints to women’s participation within the sector;
– Conduct and coordinate sociological study in Georgia, Armenia and
Azerbaijan; These studies include focus group discussions in two sample
rural locations in each country and interviews with stakeholders;
– Provide methodological support to the study teams in Armenia and
Azerbaijan;
– Ensure the coordination of the studies in all three countries;
– Ensure implementation of planned activities on the site;
– Develop recommendations for addressing identified gender issues;
– Draft a technical report on gender issues;
Qualifications and skills required
– A higher education in relevant field;
– Good knowledge of gender issues in Georgia;
– Familiar with gender issues in water resources management;
– Working experience with gender issues;
– Good computer, communications and administrative skills;
– Fluent in Georgian and Russian, knowledge of English language is a
preference;
– Good organizational and communication skills;
Duration of Assignment
Duration up to three (3) months.
Qualified candidates interested to undertake works under the Terms of
Reference should submit their Curriculum Vitae by ordinary mail, by fax or
electronically no later than Monday, June 28, 2004, 5 p.m. to:
Ms. Nino Malashkhia, Technical Assistant
E-mail: [email protected]
Tel: 995 32 292742
Fax: 995 32 292742
And
Ms. Mariam Shotadze, UNDP Georgia, Programme Analyst
[email protected]
B. Terms of Reference for Legal Expert
The Kura-Aras river system is an internationally significant river system,
which is seriously degraded and continues to be threatened. Water scarcity
is an issue at many points in the river system. Water quality and quantity
constraints may increasingly lead to disputes amongst water users over the
coming years. Integrated, multi-country, trans-boundary responses are
necessary to address the threats to the river system, and their underlying
causes.
Immediate objectives to be achieved
– To analyze existing water legislation and its effectiveness, with
special focus whether or not the legal conditions for Integrated River Basin
Planning and Management are created;
– To identify major gaps, loopholes, inconsistencies and overlaps;
– To identify inconsistencies in water legislations of Armenia,
Azerbaijan and Georgia;
– To find common grounds with EU water directives;
– To identify and prioritize legislative needs;
Duties and responsibilities
In order to achieve the above-mentioned objectives, the UNDP will hire the
Legal Expert to perform following:
– Analyze water related legislation and regulations of Georgia;
– Assess the effectiveness of existing legislation, regulations and
their enforcement status;
– Compare national water legislations with EU directives concerning
the Integrated River Basin management and Transboundary Issues;
– Compare national water legislations of Armenia, Azerbaijan and
Georgia with an emphasis on Integrated River Basin Management;
– Identify and prioritize legislative needs;
– Draft a technical report on legislation analysis;
Qualifications and skills required
A degree in law or water resource management;
Good knowledge of water related legislation of Georgia, general
understanding of existing water related legislation of Armenia and
Azerbaijan and EU water directives;
Working experience with legislation issues;
Good computer, communications and administrative skills;
Fluent in Georgian and Russian, knowledge of English language is a
preference
Duration of Assignment
Duration up to three (3) months.
Qualified candidates interested to undertake works under the Terms of
Reference should submit their Curriculum Vitae by ordinary mail, by fax or
electronically no later than Monday, June 28, 2004, 5 p.m. to:
Ms. Nino Malashkhia, Technical Assistant of UNDP/Sida Project, Reducing
Transboundary Degradation of the Kura-Aras River Basin
E-mail: [email protected]
Tel: 995 32 292742
Fax: 995 32 292742
And
Ms. Mariam Shotadze, UNDP Georgia, Programme Analyst
[email protected]
C. Terms of Reference for Policy and Institutional Expert
The Kura-Aras river system is an internationally significant river system,
which is seriously degraded and continues to be threatened. Water scarcity
is an issue at many points in the river system. Water quality and quantity
constraints may increasingly lead to disputes amongst water users over the
coming years. Integrated, multi-country, trans-boundary responses are
necessary to address the threats to the river system, and their underlying
causes.
Immediate objectives to be achieved
– To analyze existing water policy frameworks and whether or not
Integrated River Basin Planning and Management principles has been applied
in policy documents;
– To analyze if the general socio-economic and long term development
strategies regard the water polices/strategies;
– To analyze the effectiveness of existing water polices, with
special focus on implementation mechanisms and available resources for
implementation;
– To identify and prioritize policy needs;
Duties and responsibilities
In order to achieve the above-mentioned objectives, the UNDP will hire the
Policy Expert to perform following:
– Review existing water related polices;
– Assess integration of water polices/strategies into general
socio-economic and long-term development policies;
– Assess the effectiveness of existing policies;
– Identify and prioritize policy needs for Integrated River Basin
Management;
– Identify institutional strengths and weaknesses;
– Identify of institutional needs;
– Draft a technical report on policy and institutional analysis;
Qualifications and skills required
A degree in law or water resource management;
Good knowledge of water related polices of Georgia, general understanding of
existing water related legislation of Armenia and Azerbaijan and EU water
directives;
Good knowledge of present institutional setting in the field of water
resources management;
Working experience with policy and institutional issues;
Good computer, communications and administrative skills;
Fluent in Georgian and Russian, knowledge of English language is a
preference;
Duration of Assignment
Duration up to three (3) months.
Qualified candidates interested to undertake works under the Terms of
Reference should submit their Curriculum Vitae by ordinary mail, by fax or
electronically no later than Monday, June 28, 2004, 5 p.m. to:
Ms. Nino Malashkhia, Technical Assistant
E-mail: [email protected]
Tel: 995 32 292742
Fax: 995 32 292742
And
Ms. Mariam Shotadze, UNDP Georgia, Programme Analyst
[email protected]
CENN INFO
Caucasus Environmental NGO Network (CENN)
Tel: ++995 32 92 39 46
Fax: ++995 32 92 39 47
E-mail: [email protected]
URL:

Virgo’s Lie is hot but Egoyan’s Love is cooler
Screendaily
by Denis Seguin in Toronto
23 June 2004
Summer is always the busiest season for film production. In Canada, where
the summer is as short as it is hot, that makes it busier than most. In
terms of heat, the hottest production by far is Clement Virgo’s new film,
Lie With Me, which started shooting in Toronto on June 16.
Virgo co-wrote the screenplay with Tamara Faith Berger based on her
`brazenly pornographic’ novel. Mark Urman head of theatrical distribution
for THINKFilm, which picked up world rights for the project, is already
making comparisons with sensual sensations of the past. `Clement and
Tamara’s script explores human sexuality with a bravery and honesty not seen
on screen since Bertolucci’s Last Tango In Paris,’ says.
`We are thrilled to be in bed with such a provocative filmmaker and fully
expect Clement, Tamara and their terrific actors [Eric Balfour and Lauren
Lee Smith] to create the most honest, erotic and intimate film about sex
ever made in North America.’ No small feat.
Second perhaps in sensation but higher in prestige is the prospect of a new
film from auteur Atom Egoyan. The heat is on the auteur and in more ways
than one. His previous film, Ararat, a film that explored the historical
impact of genocide, was critically lauded and created its share of
controversy. But it didn’t perform at the box office. The new film, Somebody
Loves You, is a clear departure from weighty subject matter. But it also
offers an opportunity for Egoyan to break from the
`intellectuals-only-need-watch’ track his career has lead him. Based on the
widely-admired novel by Broadway wunderkind Rupert Holmes, the story follows
a young celebrity journalist as she tracks the secrets of a showbiz duo who
were driven apart by a bizarre death in which one of them may have played
the part of murderer. The deeper she digs the more she finds herself
involved with both men and perhaps risking more than she bargained. The
project offers some audience-friendly genre landmarks (1970s LA noir) with
Egoyanesque touchstones like identity confusion. It’s the third novel Egoyan
has adapted (the others were 1997’s The Sweet Hereafter and 1999’s Felicia’s
Journey) but is by far the least depressing. The film starts shooting at the
end of August under Egoyan’s long-time collaborator producer Robert Lantos,
who is a third source of heat. After the failure Norman Jewison’s The
Statement, Lantos’ Serendipity Point Films needs a hit.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Azeri, Iranian chief clerics discuss Karabakh, mutual ties
Azadliq, Baku
23 Jun 04
“I hope your visit will give an impetus to the further strengthening
of Azerbaijani-Iranian relations,” the head of the Azerbaijani
Spiritual Board of the Muslims of the Caucasus, Allahsukur Pasazada,
said at a meeting with Ayatollah Golpayegani, head of the executive
staff of Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamene’i.
Saying that religion brings the Azerbaijani and Iranian peoples
closer, Pasazada expressed the hope that it will also enable the two
states to further strengthen political relations. Pasazada talked
about the Nagornyy Karabakh problem and called on official Tehran to
help Azerbaijan generously in this issue. Pasazada touched on the
religious situation and stressed religious tolerance in Azerbaijan. He
said that various religions and faiths were being practised
simultaneously in the country, and spiritual leaders state that their
main aim is to maintain religious stability in the region.
Ayatollah Golpayegani reiterated recent serious progress in
Iranian-Azerbaijani relations and expressed his confidence that these
relations will develop in the future as well. As far as the Karabakh
problem is concerned, Golpayegani said that Armenia had been described
as an aggressor by the Organization of the Islamic Conference which
unites both Iran and Azerbaijan.
[Passage omitted: the guests were given presents]

Armenian Assembly of America
122 C Street, NW, Suite 350
Washington, DC 20001
Phone: 202-393-3434
Fax: 202-638-4904
Email: [email protected]
Web:
PRESS RELEASE
June 23, 2004
CONTACT: Christine Kojoian
E-mail: [email protected]
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC REPORTING INCLUDES TERM: “ARMENIAN GENOCIDE”
Turkish Protests Fail to Overturn Editorial Policy
Washington, DC – The Armenian Assembly commended National Geographic
magazine for continuing to characterize as “genocide,” the events of 1915 in
its July issue, thereby rejecting Turkish accusations of bias following a
22-page report in its March issue entitled, “Armenia Reborn.”
In an introductory note to its “Forum” section, the editors said the March
article and photos, “inspired more than 1,600 letters – the most mail
elicited by any one story in the past five years,” and published four
responses including a joint letter from Armenian Assembly Board of Trustees
Chairman Hirair Hovnanian and Board of Directors Chairman Anthony Barsamian.
The editors also reported that the magazine received “hundreds” of positive
letters from the Armenian community.
The Assembly letter said in part:
“[Armenian Reborn] captured the essence of the Armenian identity
historically and the values that animate our people today. As for the
cataclysmic event in our past – the Armenian genocide under cover of World
War I – National Geographic has not only told the truth, but is also in good
company.”
Armenian Assembly Executive Director Ross Vartian, along with Public Affairs
Director David Zenian and ANI Director Dr. Rouben Adalian, also expressed
appreciation and praise for the magazine report during a face-to-face
meeting with Washington editors in March.
The magazine’s last major report on Armenia was published in 1978.
In addition to the subject of the genocide, “Armenia Reborn,” written by
Frank Viviano and photographed by Alexandra Avakian, looks at the 3,000 year
history of Armenians and leads up to current events including independence,
the 1988 earthquake and the Nagorno Karabakh conflict.
But it was the magazine’s coverage of the Armenian Genocide and by
extension, Turkey-Armenia relations, which sparked a Turkish outcry. Both
the Turkish government and Turkish lobby in the United States voiced their
criticism, mounting a worldwide letter-writing campaign challenging
accuracies in the story. The publishers of the magazine’s Turkish language
edition excluded “Armenia Reborn” from their March issue.
The Armenian Assembly of America is the largest Washington-based nationwide
organization promoting public understanding and awareness of Armenian
issues. It is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt membership organization.
NR#2004-060
Editor’s Note: Below is the published text of the Armenian Assembly letter
to National Geographic editors.
March 12, 2004
William L. Allen
Editor in Chief
National Geographic
1145 17th Street
Washington, DC 20036.
Dear Sir:
The article captured the essence of the Armenian identity historically and
the values that animate our people today. As for the cataclysmic event in
our past – the Armenian Genocide under cover of World War I – NATIONAL
GEOGRAPHIC has not only told the truth, but is also in good company. One
hundred and twenty-six Holocaust and Genocide scholars signed a petition on
March 7, 2000, calling the Armenian genocide “an incontestable historical
fact.” As recently as February 2003, the International Center for
Transitional Justice concluded that what happened to the Armenians includes
“all the elements of the crime of genocide … and legal scholars as well
as historians, politicians, journalists and other people would be justified
in continuing to so describe them.” The “controversy” today lies squarely
with the Turkish government as it continues to attempt to coerce the world
to be complicit in its denial. Turkey’s aspiration to be fully accepted as a
full member of European society will not be realized without facing its own
history – just as coming to terms with the destruction of Native Americans
and the stain of slavery made America what it is today: more humane and
just.
Sincerely,
Hirair Hovnanian
Chairman, Board of Trustees
Anthony Barsamian
Chairman, Board of Directors
Armenian Assembly of America