Category: News

OBSERVING THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
______

HON. RUSH D. HOLT
of new jersey
in the house of representatives
Wednesday, April 28, 2004
Mr. HOLT. Mr. Speaker, April 24, 2004 marked the 89th anniversary of
one of the most harrowing events in modern day history–the beginning
of the Armenian Genocide. The Armenian community is too familiar with
the details of this tragedy. They know well the accounts of Armenian
leaders, writers and professionals in Constantinople that were rounded
up, deported and killed; the accounts of men, women and children were
driven into the desert between Terablus and Derzor to die of
starvation, disease and exposure; and the accounts of families that
were burned alive in wooden houses or chained together and drowned in
Lake Van.
Unfortunately, few outside of the Armenian community know of the
Armenian Genocide–
[[Page E701]]
one of the most awful events in modern history. Many are not aware that
Ottoman officials expelled millions of Armenians from the homelands
they had inhabited for over 2,500 years. They are not aware that
Ottoman officials attempted to exterminate the Armenian race and the
precedent this event set for the genocides that followed. It is
distressing that horrors of this magnitude have largely been forgotten.
Even more disturbing are the governments, institutions, scholars, and
individuals who deny the enormity of these crimes against humanity. It
is inconceivable that individuals and governments continue to ignore
the substantial evidence–including numerous survivor accounts,
photodocumentaries, and official documents in the archives of the
United States, Britain, France, Austria, and the Vatican–that prove
these atrocities took place. It is also frustrating that some
rationalize these crimes or refuse to recognize this premeditated
ethnic cleansing as genocide.
The international community must deal honestly with this senseless
genocide. World leaders must rise above indifference and the political
considerations that they have cowered behind. They must unequivocally
acknowledge the murders of one and a half million Armenians that began
in 1915 for what it is–genocide. They must use their position to
reveal the truth and bring attention to this tragedy that has been
overlooked and brushed aside for too long.
We all want to forget these horrific tragedies in our history and
bury them in the past. However, understanding the immeasurable wrongs
the Armenian people endured–and the mass scale on which they
occurred–is vital to grasping the impact these events continue to have
on the stability of the region. It is only through the painful process
of acknowledging and discussing these horrific events that we can
prevent similar iniquity in the future.
We owe full recognition and acceptance of these crimes to the one and
half million victims of the Armenian Genocide. Anything less is an
insult to their memory.

REMEMBERING THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
______

HON. BRAD SHERMAN
of california
in the house of representatives
Wednesday, April 28, 2004
Mr. SHERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I join with my colleagues tonight in somber
remembrance of the Armenian Genocide. Early in the 20th Century, during
World War I and its aftermath, the Ottoman Empire attempted the
complete liquidation of the Armenian population of Eastern Anatolia.
We must come down to the House floor tonight not only to remember
this tragic event, but we must also proclaim that the Armenian Genocide
is an historical fact. There are many who deny that this first genocide
of the 20th Century actually took place.
The American ambassador to the Ottoman Empire in 1919 was an
eyewitness. In his memoirs, he said, “When the Turkish authorities
gave the order for these deportations they were merely giving the death
warrant to an entire race. They understood this well and in their
conversations with me made no particular attempt to conceal this
fact.”
He went on to describe what he saw at the Euphrates River. He said,
as our eyes and ears in the Ottoman Empire, “I have by no means told
the most terrible details, for a complete narration of the sadistic
orgies of which they, the Armenian men and women, are victims can never
be printed in an American publication. Whatever crimes the most
perverted instincts of the human mind can devise, whatever refinements
of persecution and injustice the most debased imagination can conceive,
became the daily misfortune of the Armenian people.”
We can never forget that 8 days before he invaded Poland, Adolf
Hitler turned to his inner circle and said, “Who today remembers the
extermination of the Armenians?” The impunity with which the Turkish
government acted in annihilating the Armenian people emboldened Adolf
Hitler and his inner circle to carry out the Holocaust of the Jewish
people.
It is time for Turkey to acknowledge this genocide, because only in
that way can the Turkish government and its people rise above it. The
German government has been quite forthcoming in acknowledging the
Holocaust, and in doing so it has at least been respected by the
peoples of the world for its honesty. Turkey should follow that example
rather than trying to deny history.
It is also time–indeed it is far overdue–for our Congress to
recognize the Armenian Genocide.
Mr. Speaker, I again call on my colleagues to recognize the Armenian
Genocide and to urge my fellow Americans to remember this tragic event.

COMMEMORATING THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
______

HON. JOHN F. TIERNEY
of massachusetts
in the house of representatives
Wednesday, April 28, 2004
Mr. TIERNEY. Mr. Speaker, I join my fellow members of the
Congressional Caucus on Armenian issues, and a large number of my
colleagues, as we rightfully recognize, remember, and renounce the
Armenian genocide.
I rise today to speak on one of the most unspeakable acts that ever
came to pass. Beginning in 1915, innocent and unsuspecting Armenians of
all ages were led by Ottoman Empire officials from their villages to
their brutal death. Such atrocities endured for eight years. By 1923,
an estimated 1.5 million Armenians were massacred.
While this tragedy of incomprehensible proportions was being
perpetrated, the world stood idle. Prominent nations remained silent in
the face of skyrocketing death tolls in this corner of Europe. Today
and throughout this month, as we reflect and remember the victims of
the Armenian genocide, we must also repudiate our unresponsiveness to
this horrible mass murder.
Lastly, on behalf of the Sixth District of Massachusetts, I would
like to praise the commitment and perseverance of Armenian-Americans,
who have tirelessly labored to ensure that all know the tragic story
and great sorrow of their people. Their efforts in this regard are
laudable and serve as the best legacy they can leave to succeeding
generations.

[Congressional Record: April 28, 2004 (House)]
[Page H2451-H2452]
The Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:cr28ap04-141]
NOW IS THE TIME–WE MUST RECOGNIZE THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the
gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Conyers) is recognized for 5 minutes.
Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Speaker, tonight I rise to remind the world that the
24th of April marked the 89th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, a
systematic and deliberate campaign of genocide of the Ottoman Empire.
Also, it marked yet another year with the U.S. formally recognizing the
atrocities that occurred. Considering how well documented the genocide
is in the U.S. archives and through an overwhelming body of first-hand,
governmental, and diplomatic evidence this is nothing less than a
disgrace. I also rise to reaffirm my support for the adoption of the
Genocide Resolution H. Res. 193. The purpose of this legislation is
prevent future genocides by stressing the importance of remembering and
learning the lessons of past crimes against humanity, including the
Armenian Genocide, Holocaust, and the Cambodian and Rwandan genocides
in hopes of preventing future atrocities. In addition, this resolution
strengthen America’s commitment to the universal values of the Genocide
Convention and asks the United States to commemorate the 15th
anniversary of the Genocide Convention. Support for this legislation is
widespread with a diverse coalition of over 100 ethnic, religious,
civil, and human rights organizations calling for its passage.
As Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee, it was an honor
to be instrumental in preparing the report which gained unanimous
approval at the committee level. The report described the Armenian
Genocide in the following terms: “Beginning in 1915, the Islamic
Turkish state of the Ottoman Empire sought to end the collective
existence of the Christian Armenian population. From 1915 through 1918,
during World War I, the Ottoman Empire subjected the Armenian people to
deportation, expropriation, abduction, torture, massacre, and
starvation. The atrocities were renewed between 1920 and 1923. It is
estimated that one and a half million Armenians were killed out of over
two million Armenians who had lived in the Ottoman Empire. It should be
noted that these activities ceased with the institution of the new
Republic of Turkey in October, 1923.” This past March, I signed onto a
bipartisan letter to Speaker Hastert asking to bring H. Res. 193 to
vote but we have not yet been given the opportunity to vote on this
important legislation. Today, also marks the day of the Armenian
Genocide Observance on Capital Hill and I join over 110 House and
Senate Members who have agreed to co-host this observance.
The Armenian Genocide is fully documented in U.S. history. In a July
24, 1915 cable, American Consul Davis noted that, “I do not believe
there has ever been a massacre in the history of the world so general
and thorough as that which is now being perpetrated in this region or
that a more fiendish, diabolical scheme has ever been conceived by the
mind of man. What the order is officially and nominally to exile the
Armenians from these Vilayets may mislead the outside world for a time,
but the measure is nothing but a massacre of the most atrocious nature.
It would be that even if all the people had allowed to perish on the
road. As a greater part of them,
[[Page H2452]]
however, have been actually murdered and as there is no doubt that this
was done by order of the Government, there can be no pretense that the
measure is anything else but a general massacre.”
Now more than ever as the world is gripped by unrest and terrorism,
the memory of the Genocide underscores our responsibility to help
convey our cherished tradition of respect for fundamental human rights
and opposition to mass slaughter. We owe it to the victims of the
Genocide to acknowledge what happened and to teach our students and
children about their suffering, so that we can fulfill our obligation
to ensure that genocide will never happen again. Our future generation
should be able to say, “I learned, I acknowledge, and I will work to
prevent it from happening again.”

Azeri defence chief, Russian diplomats debate military, political situation
Lider TV, Baku
30 Apr 04
Azerbaijani Defence Minister Col-Gen Safar Abiyev has received the
Russian ambassador to Azerbaijan, Nikolay Ryabov, and the military
attache, Vladimir Lomakin.
Azerbaijan will soon appoint its military attache to Russia, the
minister said. The defence minister said that Azerbaijan was pinning
high hopes on Russia in the settlement of the [Karabakh] conflict.
The sides had also an exchange of opinions on the prospects of
development between Azerbaijan and Russia, the defence ministries of
the countries, including the military and political situation in the
South Caucasus.

ITAR-TASS, Russia
April 30 2004
Azerbaijan to open its military office in Russia soon

BAKU, April 30 (Itar-Tass) – Azerbaijan will open its military
office in Russia in a few days time, Azerbaijani Defence Minister
Safar Abiyev said in Baku on Friday at a meeting with Russian
Ambassador Nikolai Ryabov and new Russian military attaché, Rear
Admiral Vladimir Lomakin.
Abiyev noted `traditionally good relations between the two countries
and a high level of intergovernmental cooperation.’
`Azerbaijani-Russian relations have historic traditions; we have
always tried to preserve them,’ he said.
The defence minister also pointed to Russia’s `great opportunities’
as a co-chairman of the OSCE Minsk group on the settlement of the
Karabakh conflict.
`Azerbaijan pins great hopes on Russia in resolving this problem,’
Abiyev said.
At the meeting, the parties discussed prospects for the development
of cooperation between the two countries’ defence ministries and
exchanged views on a military and political situation in North
Caucasus, a source at the Azerbaijani Defence Ministry’s press
service said.

The Russia Journal
Apr 30, 2004, 23:59 (Moscow time)
Russia supposed to help Azeri in oil export
WORLD/CIS » :: Apr 30, 2004 Posted: 11:02 Moscow time (07:02 GMT)
STRASBOURG – The president of Azerbaijan Ilkham Aliev expressed his hope
that Russia can do much for Karabakh settlement, while addressing a news
conference at the Palais de l’Europe in Strasbourg.
The President hopes for Russia to join the USA and France, other Minsk group
co-chairs, together to fix up Karabakh conflict.
Azeri petroleum exports were another principal theme of the news conference.
Their northern route, via Russia, needs much improvement. At present, an
annual 2.5 million tonnes of Azeri oil is going abroad by the
Baku-Novorossiisk mainline, and another six million by the Baku-Supsa. Both
terminals are Russia’s and Georgia’s Black Sea ports respectively.
Another mainline is being laid from Baku to Ceyhan, Turkish terminal in the
East Mediterranean. Azeri exports may amount to fifty million tonnes a year
after the line is commissioned toward next year’s end. “This does not mean
we shall give up the Baku-Novorossiisk line-a route which has to be
improved,” said Mr. Aliev.
An Azeri-Russian ad hoc team is negotiating prospective improvements, he
added. /Neftegaz.ru/

AA1 Plus | 15:29:16 | 27-04-2004 | Politics |
OPPOSITION REPRESENTATIVES LEFT WITH NO OPTION BUT TO REJECT DIALOGUE
Dialogue between the ruling coalition and the opposition had to be held
today.
As it is already known that MPs Victor Dallakyan and Arshak Sadoyan, who
represent the opposition, intend to reject the dialogue, because the
authorities have blocked roads to Yerevan to prevent people from attending
the opposition-announced rally.

A1 Plus | 18:10:01 | 28-04-2004 | Social |
“GREEN SLAUGHTER” IN YEREVAN
This morning the residents of N 143 building of South-Western block
have held a protest action demanding to preserve the park they have
themselves planted nearby their houses. It has been given to someone
to build a shop there.
The residents are more concerned about the fact that Municipality has
rejected their application on improving and protecting the territory.
People say the park where the Monument for War Fighters is located was
sold at an auction. Trees were already cut for constructing the shop.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Armenian defence minister denies “political” arrests
Arminfo
28 Apr 04
YEREVAN
The chairman of the Security Council under the Armenian president and
defence minister, Serzh Sarkisyan, does not agree with the
opposition’s statements that repression and political arrests are
under way in Armenia and that the free movement of citizens in the
republic is being restricted.
“It is another issue that the police have been conducting inspections
on the republic’s roads, which is the duty of the law-enforcement
agencies in conditions when aggressive political forces announce their
plans to change power in the republic by force,” Sarkisyan told
journalists.
As for the discussion of the internal political situation in Armenia
by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, Sarkisyan does
not think that this may lead to serious consequences.