Thursday, September 21, 2006
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FROM MY DIARY
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“Not so loud, please!” Verdi once said to an organ grinder who had planted himself beneath his window; and forever after the organ grinder sported a sign that said, “Student of Verdi.”
*
Frances Mayes dedicates her latest book, A YEAR IN THE WORLD: JOURNEYS OF A PASSIONATE TRAVELLER (New York, 2006), “To the forgotten new yellow panties and bra left drying on the rim of the hotel bathtub.”
*
A Chinese GI’s complaint to his sergeant: “Sarge, they keep calling me Sneeze but my name ain’t sneeze. My name is Hep Chou.”
*
In so far as criticism shows what can be done as opposed to what’s being done, it is always constructive.
*
Can a dupe really speak of self-interest if his views are not his but someone else’s?
*
You cannot reason with tyrants because they value their power above reason. Likewise, you cannot reason with men of faith because they value their religion above everything else, including their own survival.
*
Since most Christians are Christian because they were born in a Christian country, and most Muslims are Muslim because they were born in a Muslim country, it follows, what determines a man’s choice of religion is geography rather than the merits of their belief system. It also follows, most believers, like most patriots, are dupes of an unthinking factor, namely real estate. Which also means, to say my religion or my country is better than yours amounts to saying my mud is better than your mud.
#
Friday, September 22, 2006
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Faith and fundamentalism, fundamentalism and fanaticism, fanaticism and collective insanity: not always easy to tell where one ends and the other begins.
*
There is a beautiful English expression which is easily translated into Armenian but as far as I know it is seldom or never used by us: “Throw out the rascals!” – meaning, “Vote against the incumbents,” as if our incumbents were morally superior to American incumbents. In this connection perhaps I should add that until very recently we in the Diaspora couldn’t even identify our incumbents.
*
On the Internet it is not always easy to tell if those who attack you anonymously are children or adult retards. Perhaps I should have a warning label on everything I write that says: “What follows may not be suitable for young audiences. Parental guidance is advised.”
*
To generalize about Muslims may not be politically correct, but that should not prevent us from speaking of their mistreatment of women and their megalomaniacal imperial illusions based on the fact that, since they had an empire in the Middle Ages, they can have another in the near future, provided they follow the Guidance, which says, infidels have the same status in the eyes of Allah as dogs.
*
Speaking of collective illusions and ambitions: in what way is our claim on historic Armenia any different?
*
And speaking of generalizations: Let others think of us as a nation of cunning rug merchants. We see ourselves as heroes and martyrs; and heroes and martyrs don’t learn from their mistakes because they don’t make them.
*
My favorite epitaph: “Here lies someone who tried to screw his fellow man as little as possible” (Camilo Jose Cela).
#
Saturday, September 23, 2006
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We brag about our facility with languages; and yet, Karzai speaks better English than Kocharian; some of our ablest translators are re-translators; most Armenians born and raised in America cannot speak their mother tongue, and most of those who speak it can’t read it.
*
To love man means to hate exploiters, crooks, propagandists, dupes, charlatans, moral morons, tyrants, brown-nosers, flunkeys, hirelings, know-it-all smart-asses, liars, rapists, child molesters, thieves, killers…Perhaps to love man means to hate mankind.
*
By the time you subtract the PR, spin, doubletalk, and propaganda factors, what’s left from the palaver of a politician may very well be not just nonsense but dangerous nonsense, the kind that starts wars and massacres.
*
We may not cut out tongues and burn heretics at the stake, but that does not prevent us from making it clear that’s what we would like to do if we could get away with it.
#

PRESS RELEASE
Eastern Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America
138 East 39th Street
New York, NY 10016
Tel: 212-689-7810
Fax: 212-689-7168
e-mail: [email protected]
Website:
Contact: Iris Papazian
September 21, 2006
CATHOLICOS ARAM I ADDRESS ARMENIA-DIASPORA CONFERENCE
His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia, called for
a strong Armenian nation and a strong Armenia in an address to a large
number of Armenians from all parts of the world during the opening session
of the third Armenia-Diaspora Conference in Yerevan which took place
September 18 to 20. One day prior to the opening of the conference President
Robert Kocharian received His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All
Armenians, and His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of Cilicia, for an exchange
of ideas about Diaspora-Armenia relations.
Catholicos Aram’s speech to the conference, which was received
enthusiastically, highlighted the important role of the conference in the
life of the Armenian nation, church and motherland. He considered this
conference to be a more conscious approach towards collective belonging and
one dictated by the Armenian nation’s collective history.
He elaborated on four major points and then talked about a number of
important national issues that should be discussed on a Pan-Armenian level
with a clear separation in the roles of the Armenian government and the
Diaspora. In this context he particularly mentioned the recognition of the
Armenian Genocide, the Nagorno Karabagh conflict, the situation in Javakh,
and the issues of dictation and dual nationality. He stated that collective
discussion on these issues strengthens and channels Pan-Armenian issues.
“The cooperation between Armenia and the Diaspora should not be
conditioned by financial standards only and should not be limited to narrow
economic boundaries. In other words, the Diaspora should not be satisfied
with financing projects in Armenia; it has much more to give to Armenia with
its manpower and experience. Armenia in its turn should not only organize
Pan-Armenian conferences, it also has a lot to offer to the Diaspora
particularly in the fields of culture and Armenology. Our church and
intellectuals have an important role to play in this respect,” said the
Catholicos.
His Eminence Archbishop Oshagan attended the conference as part of the
official delegation representing the Holy See of Cilicia. Archbishop Oshagan
is expected to return to New York next week.
NEW OFFICES OF ST. NERSES THE GREAT CHARITABLE ORGANIZATION
IS DEDICATED TO ARCHBISHOP MESROB ASHJIAN
Tuesday evening, September 19, the new Yerevan offices of the Prelacy’s
St. Nerses the Great Charitable and Social Organization were dedicated by
Archbishop Oshagan. The office was named in honor of the late Archbishop
Mesrob Ashjian, who as Prelate of the Eastern Prelacy, first organized the
St. Nerses organization and its program of social work in Armenia and
Artsakh. The offices are now known as “The Archbishop Mesrob Ashjian
Center.” Details and photos next week.
EPISCOPAL CONSECRATION OF BISHOP ANOUSHAVAN
WILL BE CELEBRATED ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 1
Archbishop Oshagan will preside over the celebration in honor of the
recent Episcopal consecration of Bishop Anoushavan Tanielian. A
community-wide banquet will take place on Sunday, October 1 at 3 pm at the
Terrace on the Park in Flushing Meadows, New York. In the morning, Bishop
Anoushavan will celebrate the Divine Liturgy at St. Sarkis Church,
Douglaston, New York, a parish he served for more than a decade. Bishop
Anoushavan’s elevation and consecration took place on June 4, in ceremonies
officiated by Catholicos Aram I in the Cathedral of St. Gregory the
Illuminator in Antelias, Lebanon.
For more information about the October 1st event click
NEW SERIES OF BIBLE STUDY AT PRELACY
An eight-session course on the “Letter to the Hebrews” will start on
Monday, October 2, at the Prelacy from 7:15 pm to 8:45 pm, and will continue
on the first and third Mondays of the month. Sponsored by the Armenian
Religious Education Council (AREC), the course will be conducted by Dn.
Shant Kazanjian, director of AREC.
The Letter to the Hebrews is a profound homily, a “word of exhortation”
(Hebrews 13:22). One of the main themes of the Letter is that the old
covenant has been superseded through the sacrificial death of Christ. And
for that reason, studying the Letter to the Hebrews gives a solid biblical
understanding of the “Soorp Badarak” (Holy Sacrifice) that we celebrate on
Sundays.
Registration is required (suggested donation: $25). For registration and
information, please call 212-689-7810 or e-mail at [email protected].
CHILDREN’S CONCERT ON NOVEMBER 18
WILL CELEBRATE THE “COLORS OF FALL”
With the extraordinary success of the Prelacy’s Children’s Concert two
years ago, another concert for children will take place on Saturday
afternoon, November 18, at Florence Gould Hall, at the Alliance Francaise in
New York City, featuring the talented and popular TALINE AND FRIENDS, from
California.
The theme of the concert will be “Fall Colors” (Ashnan Kouyner). Tickets are
$20 each and can be purchased by contacting the Prelacy office,
212-689-7810, Ext. 26.
MIDWEST DATEV PROGRAM NOVEMBER 10-12
The popular summer Datev program goes on the road again with a weekend
program scheduled in the Midwest, November 10 to 12, at the Colombiere
Retreat and Conference Center, Clarkston, Michigan.
The program will include interactive presentations and instructions on
faith-related topics, discussions of religious and current issues, Bible
studies, short worship services, fellowship and recreational activities.
Bishop Anoushavan Tanielian and Deacon Shant Kazanjian will be the
instructors and facilitators.
For information and registration click
6.pdf
PAREGENTAN OF THE HOLY CROSS OF VARAG
This Sunday is the Paregentan of the Fast of the Holy Cross of Varag.
Monday to Friday are fasting days leading up to next Sunday when the Feast
of the Holy Cross of Varag will be celebrated.
VICAR GENERAL WILL BE IN NEW JERSEY
This Sunday, September 24, Bishop Anoushavan Tanielian will visit the
Sts. Vartanantz Church in Ridgefield, New Jersey. The New Jersey parish
recently welcomed its new pastor and his family, Rev. Fr. and Yeretzgeen
Hovnan Bozoian.
AREC DIRECTOR WILL TRAVEL TO PHILLY
Deacon Shant Kazanjian, director of the Armenian Religious Education
Council (AREC) will travel to his home parish of St. Gregory the Illuminator
Church in Philadelphia where he will lead a Sunday school teachers’
seminar/retreat focusing on “Nurturing Faith.”
TODAY IS ARMENIAN INDEPENDENCE DAY
Today, September 21, we celebrate the 15th anniversary of the Republic of
Armenia.
“Stretch forth your generous hands of mercy and bless our entire Armenian
nation and Armenian church in order that the spirit of love, peace, wisdom
and devotion rest upon them and remain there forever.” (from Prayer of
Thanksgiving for the Republic of Armenia, by Archbishop Torkom Koushagian,
1920).
EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION
One hundred forty-four years ago, on September 22, 1862, President
Abraham Lincoln issued his Emancipation Proclamation which would go into
effect on January 1, 1863, abolishing slavery in the United States.
“That on the first day of January, in the year of our Lord one thousand
eight hundred and sixty-three, all persons held as slaves within any State
or designated part of a State, the people whereof shall then be in rebellion
against the United States, shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free;
and the Executive Government of the United States, including the military
and naval authority thereof, will recognize and maintain the freedom of such
persons, and will do no act or acts to repress such persons, or any of them,
in any efforts they may make for their actual freedom.”
AUTUMN BEGINS SATURDAY
The official beginning of autumn in the Northern Hemisphere begins on
Saturday, September 23, at 12:03 a.m., eastern daylight time, with the fall
equinox, when day and night are approximately the same length. Henceforth,
our daylight hours will become increasingly shorter until the winter
solstice in December.
No spring, nor summer beauty hath such grace
As I have seen in one autumnal face.
“Elegy IX: The Autumnal,” by John Donne (1572-1631)
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
September 22-Family Night at St. Gregory Armenian Church of Merrimack
Valley, North Andover, Massachusetts, 6 pm at Jaffarian Hall.
September 22-23-Retreat, “Nurturing Faith,” for Sunday School teachers and
staff of St. Gregory the Illuminator Church, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
September 25-Holy Trinity Armenian Apostolic Church, Worcester,
Massachusetts, 3rd Annual Golf Outing and Award Dinner at Raceway Golf
Course, Thompson, Connecticut. Registration 7:30 a.m. For information
508-872-9629 or church office 508-852-2414.
September 25-St. Gregory the Illuminator Church, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,
Third Annual Golf Outing. For information, 215-482-9200.
September 28-4th Annual Golf Outing hosted by Sts. Vartanantz Church,
Ridgefield, New Jersey. Bergen Hills Country Club, River Vale, New Jersey.
For reservations and/or information: 201-943-2950.
October 1-Banquet honoring Bishop Anoushavan Tanielian on the occasion of
his recent elevation, at Terrace on the Park, Flushing Meadows, New York, 3
pm. Details will follow.
October 2-New eight-session Bible study on the “Letter to the Hebrews”
begins at the Prelacy, 7:15 pm to 8:45 pm, first and third Mondays of the
month, sponsored by AREC. Conducted by Dn. Shant Kazanjian. For information:
212-689-7810.
October 8-81st anniversary celebration of St. Stephen Church, New Britain,
Connecticut.
October 19-22-Annual bazaar, Soorp Khatch Church, Bethesda, Maryland.
October 22-Holy Cross Church, Troy, NY, anniversary celebration.
November 3-4- Ladies Guild Food Festival, St. Gregory the Illuminator
Church, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
November 3, 4, 5-Sts. Vartanantz Church, Ridgefield, New Jersey, Annual
Bazaar and Food Festival. For information 201-943-2950.
November 5-Annual bazaar, St. Stephen Church, New Britain, Connecticut.
November 5-36th Anniversary Luncheon and program, St. Gregory Armenian
Church of Merrimack Valley, North Andover, Massachusetts.
November 10-12-Mini Datev program for teens, ages 13 to 18. At Colombiere
Retreat Conference Center in Clarkston, Michigan.
November 11-42nd Anniversary of Soorp Khatch Church, Bethesda, Maryland, in
the church hall.
November 11-12-Sts. Vartanantz Church, Providence, annual “Armenian Fest” at
Rhodes-on-the-Pawtuxet, Cranston, Rhode Island.
November 17 & 18-Annual Bazaar, Holy Trinity Armenian Apostolic Church,
Worcester, Massachusetts.
November 18-Children’s Concert, “FALL COLORS”, sponsored by the Eastern
Prelacy at Florence Gould Hall, Alliance Francaise, New York City, featuring
TALINE AND FRIENDS. Details will follow.
November 26-St. Gregory the Illuminator Church, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,
First Episcopal Badarak in Philadelphia by Bishop Anoushavan Tanielian.
December 9-Men’s Club Steak Dinner, St. Gregory the Illuminator Church,
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
December 24-Sunday School Christmas Pageant, St. Gregory the Illuminator
Church, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Visit our website at

Armenian National Committee of America
1711 N Street, NW
Washington, DC 20036
Tel. (202) 775-1918
Fax. (202) 775-5648
[email protected]
PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
September 21, 2006
Contact: Elizabeth S. Chouldjian
Tel: (202) 775-1918
ANCA WELCOMES KEY SENATE PANEL ADOPTION OF
MENENDEZ AMENDMENT TO BLOCK U.S. SUBSIDY FOR ARMENIA
RAILROAD BYPASS
Senate Banking Committee Unanimously Adopts Measure
by Voice Vote
WASHINGTON, DC – The Armenian National Committee of
America (ANCA) today welcomed the vote by a powerful
Senate panel to block U.S. taxpayer funding for an
unnecessary and costly proposed railroad between
Turkey and Georgia that would, if built, circumvent
Armenia and, in the process, undermine the economic
viability of the existing Caucasus railroad route
through Armenia.
With a unanimous voice vote earlier today, the Senate
Banking Committee adopted the amendment spearheaded
by Sen. Robert Menendez (D-NJ), and later adopted as
proposed by Committee Chairman Richard Shelby (R-AL)
and Ranking Democrat Paul Sarbanes (D-MD). According
to the measure, the Export-Import Bank “shall not
guarantee, insure or extend (or participate in the
extension of) credit in connection with the export of
any good or service relating to the development or
promotion of any railway connection or railway-
related connection that does not traverse or connect
with Armenia, and does traverse or connect Baku,
Azerbaijan, Tbilisi, Georgia and Kars, Turkey.” The
provision is now part of the Senate Export-Import
Bank Reauthorization Bill, also adopted unanimously
by the Committee, paving the way for full Senate
consideration of the legislation.
“We would like to thank Senator Menendez, Chairman
Shelby, Senator Sarbanes, and all members of the
Senate Banking Committee for ensuring that U.S.
taxpayer funds are not wasted in the construction of
an ill-advised railway project, initiated by Turkey
and Azerbaijan, solely to exclude Armenia,” stated
ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian.
“With this amendment, we are sending a simple message
— that we believe that the United States should
support an integrated and inclusive approach to
economic and regional development in the Caucuses
region,” explained Sen. Menendez. “There is already
a railway which connects these countries and passes
through Armenia which could be used to build a trans-
Caucuses railroad. Why would we spend additional
funds to build a new railroad link that goes around
Armenia?”
Sen. Menendez also stressed that the proposed railway
goes counter to U.S. policy in the Caucasus region.
In response to Senators during her confirmation
hearing, U.S. Ambassador to Azerbaijan Anne Derse
noted that “because the proposed railway would bypass
Armenia, and thus not be beneficial to regional
integration, we have no plans to support such a
railway financially.”
The Menendez amendment is based on the South Caucasus
Integration and Open Railroads Act of 2006 (S. 2461),
introduced by Senator Rick Santorum (R-PA) and
cosponsored by Senators Menendez, Sarbanes and Wayne
Allard (R-CO). The House version (H.R.3361),
introduced by Rep. Joe Knollenberg (R-MI), currently
has over 85 cosponsors. Both measures stress that
U.S. policy should oppose the “The exclusion of
Armenia from regional economic and commercial
undertakings in the South Caucasus,” noting that such
actions “undermine the United States policy goal of
promoting a stable and cooperative environment in the
region.”
In June, a similar amendment to the House version of
the Export-Import Bank Reauthorization Bill was led
by Rep. Joseph Crowley (D-NY), with the support of
Financial Services Committee colleagues,
Representatives Brad Sherman (D-CA) and Ed Royce (R-
CA). The House adopted the measure in July.
Following Senate committee passage of the measure,
Rep. Crowley noted, “With this amendment, the US
Congress is telling the governments of Turkey and
Azerbaijan that it is wrong to continue their Cold
War style campaign against Armenia and hurt its
economic growth. Their actions against Armenia will
meet with real consequences, and we are taking note
of this inexcusable behavior. By excluding Armenia in
these regional projects, Turkey and Azerbaijan are
putting the finishing touches on a 10-year-old
economic blockade against this republic that has made
great progress in implementing democratic and
economic reforms.”
In the days leading up to the vote, ANCA chapters and
activists in key states contacted members of the
Senate Banking Committee in support of the Armenia
railway provision.
The proposed new Caucasus rail line – at the urging
of Turkey and Azerbaijan – would circumvent Armenia.
Promoters of the project have sought, even at the
planning stages, to secure U.S. financing for this
undertaking, prompting Congressional friends of
Armenia to preemptively block such attempts.
In October of 2005, the European Commission voiced
official opposition to the proposed Caucasus railroad
bypass of Armenia. A formal statement by the
Commission’s Directorate General for Transport and
Energy noted that its construction was both
unnecessary and inefficient in light of the existing
railroad connecting Kars, Gyumri, and Tbilisi.
The Export-Import Bank of the United States (Ex-Im
Bank) is the official export credit agency of the
United States. Ex-Im Bank’s mission is to assist in
financing the export of U.S. goods and services to
international markets.
#####

Armenia Fund USA, Inc.
152 Madison Ave, S-803
New York, NY 10016, U.S.A.
T/1-212-689-5307
F/1-212-689-5317
E-mail: [email protected]
Partnering for Development: Armenia Fund USA and Heifer International to
Implement a Pilot Project in Nagorno-Karabakh
NEW YORK, New York – Heifer International, an international organization
working with communities to end hunger and poverty through self-reliance,
will implement a pilot project in two villages of Nagorno-Karabakh within
Armenia Fund USA’s agricultural development project in the region. Based on
its “pass on the gift” principle of ending global hunger, Heifer Caucasus
has selected about 30 beneficiary families to help them overcome
socio-economic hardships by providing agricultural inputs and training in
farming practices. The families will receive 30 Heifer-animals to share
their offspring, along with the knowledge and best practices, with other
project participants in 3 consecutive years. The project is aimed at
improving nutrition of communities in the remote villages of Karabakh and
ensuring food security of families that are mostly survivors of a military
conflict that ravaged the region in 1991.
Talish and Vank villages in Mardakert region of Nagorno-Karabakh were
selected for the implementation of the pilot project based on the dire need
of families there who are mostly unemployed and agriculture is the only
means for survival. The larger objective of the initiative is to provide
appropriate inputs and technical assistance to more than 5,000 families by
the end of 2010 and help them improve their economic viability by at least
30% based on environmentally-sound farming practices. It has been designed
to be easily expanded onto other regions in the South Caucasus. The
agricultural inputs provided by the pilot project include livestock, seeds
and seedlings, technical assistance on a wide range of agricultural
techniques, as well as project-wide trainings on developing organic farming.
Families were selected based upon their size, social vulnerability,
experience in animal husbandry and other criteria.
Mardakert region has been a target of much agricultural development activity
since Armenia Fund USA launched the Agricultural Initiative, an agricultural
development project that is part of a monumental effort to revitalize the
region through an integrated approach which touches all aspects of rural
life. The regional development program covers a wide range of projects in
the area of public health, education and social infrastructure essential to
life. Within the scope of this larger development initiative, Armenia Fund
USA established Agricultural Development Associations in Mardakert to serve
its cluster of 18 villages and support subsistence farmers in improving
their agricultural activities. Armenia Fund USA’s partnership with Heifer to
improve rural life in the impoverished villages of Nagorno-Karabakh adds to
the momentum of significant development in the region.
Nagorno-Karabakh is located in the southeastern part of the Caucasus Minor.
The region is typically mountainous, and while the climate is temperate and
very favorable for agricultural development, unemployment and food
insecurity have caused widespread poverty and malnourishment in the region.
The project implemented by Armenia Fund USA and Heifer Caucasus will help
develop integrated farming practices that will lead to secure food sources
for the communities. Addressing the immediate need of these families will
lay the foundation for a successful expansion of both Fund’s Agricultural
Initiative and Heifer’s pilot project.
ABOUT ARMENIA FUND USA: ARMENIA FUND USA, founded in 1992, was one of the
first of Hayastan All-Armenian Fund’s 18 international affiliates and serves
constituents in all states east of the Mississippi. As a non-profit,
non-governmental, nonsectarian organization, the Fund represents all
Armenian constituents.
Armenia Fund USA is the largest contributor among the 18 international
affiliates – supporting strategic infrastructure projects in Armenia and
Karabakh, and having helped build 138 miles of roads, 100 miles of
waterways, 36 schools, 3 electric transmission networks, 210 residential
buildings and 15 healthcare institutions.
Armenia Fund USA’s Mission is the development of strategic socio-economic
infrastructure in Armenia and Karabakh, focusing on major projects such as
major highways, schools, drinking water to communities and humanitarian
programs in education, training and medical facilities. The Fund has adopted
a policy to go “Beyond Bricks and Mortar” to provide sustainability for
projects it sponsors.

Armenian Assembly of America
1140 19th Street, NW, Suite 600
Washington, DC 20036
Phone: 202-393-3434
Fax: 202-638-4904
Email: [email protected]
Web:
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 21, 2006
CONTACT: Christine Kojoian
E-mail: [email protected]
SENATE AFFIRMS POLICY OF REGIONAL COOPERATION IN SOUTH CAUCASUS
Adopts Amendment to Prevent Armenia’s Isolation
Washington, DC – The Armenian Assembly today praised a key Senate
committee for affirming U.S policy in the South Caucasus by prohibiting
funding for a bypass rail link sponsored by the Turkish and Azerbaijani
governments and aimed at excluding Armenia from economic and regional
transportation opportunities.
Lawmakers approved the Export-Import Bank Reauthorization Act of 2006,
which included an amendment ensuring that no Export-Import funding
is used for a costly and unnecessary rail line connecting Turkey,
Georgia and Azerbaijan while bypassing Armenia. Committee Chair
Richard C. Shelby (R-AL) and Ranking Member Paul Sarbanes (D-MD)
included an amendment offered by Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) in the
manager’s amendment. The provision was modeled after the South Caucasus
Integration and Open Railroads Act (S. 2461), which was introduced by
Senator Rick Santorum (R-PA), together with Menedez, earlier this year.
“Armenia is a valued friend of the United States and our government
ought not to be supporting programs or initiatives in the South
Caucasus that exclude that country from participation,” said
Santorum. “The manager’s amendment adopted today by the Committee on
Banking will make sure such a scenario does not happen.”
“We cannot continue to stoke the embers of regional conflict by
supporting projects that deliberately exclude one of the region’s most
important members,” said Menendez. “Fundamentally, this amendment
is about fairness and about inclusion, rather than exclusion. With
this amendment, we are sending a simple message — that we believe
that the United States should support an integrated and inclusive
approach to economic and regional development in the Caucasus region.”
The amendment, adopted by the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban
Affairs Committee, states that “The [Export-Import] Bank shall
not guarantee, insure, or extend (or participate in the extension
of) credit in connection with the export of any good or service
relating to the development or promotion of any railway connection
or railway-related connection that does not traverse or connect with
Armenia and does not traverse or connect Baku, Azerbaijan, Tbilisi,
Georgia, and Kars, Turkey.”
“Attempts to isolate Armenia are counterproductive to stated U.S.
policy goals of regional cooperation and economic integration in the
South Caucasus,” said Assembly Executive Director Bryan Ardouny.
“We commend the leadership of Senators Santorum and Menendez for
introducing legislation that would prevent Armenia’s neighbors from
isolating her, as well as the efforts of Senators Shelby and Sarbanes
in supporting the passage of today’s legislation.”
Ardouny also noted that today’s action reinforces a vote by the
House of Representatives and sends a strong message to Baku and
Ankara that such attempts only serve as a destabilizing factor in the
region. On July 25, the House approved a similar amendment sponsored
by Representatives Joseph Crowley (D-NY), together with Congressmen
Edward Royce (R-CA) and Brad Sherman (D-CA).
U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Daniel Fried and Ambassador to
Azerbaijan Anne Derse have both noted that the rail plan does not
foster regional cooperation.
“Removing trade barriers would improve regional integration and
enhance economic cooperation and development,” said Fried. “The
proposed railway would bypass Armenia and thus not be beneficial to
regional integration.”
The proposed railway is estimated to cost upwards of $800 million
and is expected to take years to construct. An existing line, which
crosses Armenia, is in working condition and could be operational in
a matter of weeks at very little cost. Armenian government officials
have repeatedly said that a new costly railway is unnecessary given
that a railroad linking Armenia, Georgia and Turkey already exists.
The Senate bill (S. 2461), which also has a counterpart in the House
of Representatives, would prohibit assistance for the promotion or
development of a railroad that would connect the three countries
and exclude Armenia. The House bill, introduced by Armenian Caucus
Co-Chair Joe Knollenberg (R-MI), along with Co-Chair Frank Pallone,
Jr. (D-NJ) and Caucus Member George Radanovich (R-CA), is supported
by nearly 100 lawmakers to date.
The Export-Import Bank is a federal government agency which provides
loans, loan guarantees and insurance to support exports of U.S. goods
and services to international markets.
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#2006-085
Editor ‘s Note: Photograph available on the Assembly Web site at the
following links:
5/2006-085-1.JPG
Caption: Senator Rick Santorum (R-PA), left, and Executive Director
Bryan Ardouny discussed the Senate rail bill (S.2461) on Capitol Hill
last week.
Senator Menedez issued the following statement:
Export-Import Bank Reauthorization
Armenia Railroad Amendment
September 21, 2006
First, I would like to thank both the Ranking Member and the
Chairman for your leadership today in marking up the Export-Import
Reauthorization Bill. This important piece of legislation makes sure
that the United States continues as an economic leader in the world
and supports U.S. companies as they work to export their goods and
services.
I would also like to thank both Ranking Member Sarbanes and Chairman
Shelby for accepting my amendment today, with minor changes, as part
of the Export-Import Bank Reauthorization. I would also like to thank
the many Members of this Committee on both sides of the aisle who
supported this amendment. As many of you know, this amendment is based
on free-standing legislation which Senator Santorum and I introduced
and which was cosponsored by both Senator Allard and Senator Sarbanes.
Fundamentally, this amendment is about fairness and about inclusion,
rather than exclusion. With this amendment, we are sending a simple
message — that we believe that the United States should support an
integrated and inclusive approach to economic and regional development
in the Caucuses region.
The amendment today would prohibit the Export-Import Bank from
supporting a railroad in the Caucuses region which deliberately
excludes Armenia. Instead, we would like to support a railroad which
includes all of the relevant countries in the Caucuses.
This amendment is consistent with current Administration policy and
supports regional stability and integration in the Caucuses region.
As many of you know, Armenia is a landlocked country between Turkey,
Georgia, Azerbaijan and Iran and can only get goods in and out of
the country by going through one of these countries.
So, Armenia is economically dependent on links such as railroads
through these countries. Unfortunately, Turkey and Azerbaijan won’t
allow Armenia to use these links and have carried out an economic
blockade against Armenia.
The latest example is the proposed Kars-Akhalkalaki-Tbilisi-Baku
railroad, a project that not only ignores an existing rail link which
traverses Armenia, but creates a new one that deliberately bypasses it.
Similar to the proposed Baku-Ceyhan pipeline, this rail link would
specifically go around Armenia, despite the fact that a straight link
that passes through Armenia would be far more cost-efficient.
Now, geographically, we all know that a pipeline or rail line that
seeks to connect Turkey, Georgia and Azerbaijan would logically,
geographically have to pass through Armenia. One would have to
make a special effort to bypass Armenia, making any such project
unnecessarily more expensive.
Azeri President Aliyev has stated publicly that the aim of the rail
project is to isolate Armenia by enhancing the ongoing Turkish and
Azerbaijani blockades and to keep an existing Kars-Gymri rail link that
connects Turkey, Armenia, and Georgia shut down. This ill-conceived
project runs counter to U.S. policy, is politically and economically
flawed, and serves to destabilize the region.
Let me quote our Ambassador to Azerbaijan, Anne Derse, during her
confirmation hearing this May. In response to questions submitted
to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee by Senator Sarbanes,
Ambassador Derse said, “because the proposed railway would bypass
Armenia, and thus not be beneficial to regional integration, we have
no plans to support such a railway financially.”[1] As I’m sure you
are all aware, Ambassador Derse was confirmed by the Senate thereafter
and is now our representative in Baku.
It would seem to me that, as the U.S. representative to Azerbaijan,
it is incumbent upon her to remain consistent with existing U.S.
policy. Not supporting the rail link that would exclude Armenia would
be in line with that policy, a policy that seeks to foster regional
cooperation and economic integration and supports open borders and
transport and communication corridors.
We cannot continue to stoke the embers of regional conflict by
supporting projects that deliberately exclude one of the region’s
most important members.
As I stated previously, there is already a railway which connects
these countries and passes through Armenia which could be used to
build a trans-Caucuses railroad. Why would we spend additional funds
to build a new railroad link that goes around Armenia?
The amendment prevents the U.S. from supporting a costlier and
longer route.
I would also like to note that an almost identical amendment was
passed on a bipartisan and non-controversial basis as part of the
House Ex-Im Bank Reauthorization bill (H.R. 5068) and I look forward
to working with both the Ranking Member and Chairman to make sure
these sections are included in conference.
In conclusion, I would again like to thank the Ranking Member,
the Chairman, and their staffs, for all of their hard work on
this amendment. As I said in the beginning, with this amendment we
are supporting fairness in the Caucuses region, we are supporting
economic integration and regional stability, and we are affirming
current Administration policy.
I urge all of the Members of the Committee to join me in supporting
the adoption of this amendment.
####

NOVELIST CLEARED OF “INSULTING TURKISHNESS”
RTE.ie, Ireland
22 September 2006
Bestselling Turkish novelist Elif Shafak was yesterday acquitted
of the charges of “insulting Turkishness” brought against her under
Article 301 of Turkish law.
The charges were dropped at the prosecutor’s request on the first
day of her trial.
Shafak was accused of denigrating the national identity in her novel,
‘The Bastard of Istanbul’.
The charges stem from a part of the book in which a character who
is an ethnic Armenian says that “Turkish butchers” massacred his
ancestors in a 1915 “genocide”.
Shafak, who gave birth on Saturday did not attend the trial.
She could have received a three-year jail sentence as a result in a
case that was being monitored by the European Union as a benchmark
for Turkey’s human rights record.
After the decision, EU spokeswoman Krisztina Nagy warned: “The fact
remains that [Turkey’s courts] established a restrictive interpretation
of article 301 of the penal code which is not in line with the European
Court of Human Rights and European standards of freedom of expression.”
A report on Turkey’s progress toward membership is due to be published
on 8 November.

FINAL DOCUMENTS OF 10TH CONGRESS OF FRIENDSHIP, BROTHERHOOD, COOPERATION OF TURKISH-SPEAKING COUNTRIES AND COMMUNITIES MADE PUBLIC
AzerTag
September 22, 2006
Final Resolution of the 10th Congress of Friendship, Brotherhood,
Cooperation of Turkish-speaking Countries and Communities (18-20
September) and other documents have been made public.
Final Resolution envisions cooperation of the Turkish-speaking
countries and communities in 35 numerous fields. It also includes
Address to the heads of Turkic states. The Address calls on making
resolute steps to end international isolation of the Northern
Republic of Cyprus, as well as undertake measures for liberation of
the territories of Azerbaijan occupied by Armenia and return of the
refugees and IDPs to their homelands.
General report of 5 Commissions of the Congress envisions celebration
of Novruz holiday together, establishment of joint prize in the field
of science, issue of common textbook on the history, literature and
culture of the Turks and recommend to teach it in school curriculums
of all Turkic countries.
The final documents also recommend setting a Parliamentary Assembly
of the Turkic States and common institute of arbitration.
The documents reflect economic cooperation among the Turkic states,
in particular, it includes common customs and taxation procedures,
as well as support for the BTC pipeline.

BOXING NEWS: MIRANDA MEETS ABRAHAM AND THE SPARKS FLY
SaddoBoxing.com
By Boxing Press
September 22nd, 2006
The calendar may read September, but it was as hot as July in Germany
yesterday, when World Middleweight title challenger Edison Miranda and
Champion Arthur Abraham met for the first time at a public workout,
just days before they will meet for the IBF World Middleweight
Championship on Saturday at the Rittal Arena in Wetzlar, Germany.
Tensions have been running high between the two 160-pound standouts
in recent weeks, especially after Abraham pulled out from the bout’s
original date on August 26th, claiming illness, and matters didn’t
calm down any once the two got sight of each other yesterday.
“Where’s my belt?” Asked Miranda. “You’re only going to have it for
three more days, so you should take a lot of pictures with it for
memory’s sake to show your children.”
The unbeaten knockout artist from Colombia then proceeded to
give Abraham the throat slash gesture while the two stood face to
face. Abraham giggling like a ten year old child, obviously displaying
his lack of confidence, responded with two middle fingers.
While Miranda glared back with stone-faced stare.
But while there is an obvious dislike between challenger and champion,
Miranda made it clear today that his animosity doesn’t extend to
the German people, who have treated him royally since he arrived in
the country.
“The people of Germany have been great to me,” he said. “They have an
extensive knowledge of boxing and I appreciate that. They are going
to be extremely blessed to see a memorable Middleweight world title
fight on Saturday. The only person that won’t be so blessed is Abraham,
but he is not a real German anyway. He is from Armenia.”
The only thing left to do is ring the bell.
At this time, the specifics for a live broadcast of this event
are still in the works. Stay tuned to and
for the latest developments.

A DAY FOR DARFUR
Emily Nguyen / Villa Walsh Academy
Dailyrecord.com, NJ
Posted from the Daily Record newsroom
09/22/06
Attending Sunday’s ‘Save Darfur’ rally in New York’s Central Park
are, from left, Julie Tiedrich, Caleb Zimmerman, Emily Nguyen, Janet
Namkung and Stephanie Gomez.
Young activists join rally against genocide
Remember Cambodia. Remember Bosnia. Remember Armenia.
Remember Rwanda. Remember Sudan.
The term genocide is traditionally defined as “the deliberate and
systematic extermination of a national, racial, political or cultural
group.”
In Darfur, a western region of Sudan, the past three years have
been chiefly characterized by unspeakable atrocities that have left
more than 400,000 dead, 2.5 million displaced, and 3.5 million on
the brink of starvation, according to the Save Darfur Coalition at
These travesties have almost exclusively befallen innocent civilians
— men, women, and children of Sudanese descent — whose apparent
disloyalty to the Arab-dominated government, after continuing military
conflict with Sudanese rebel groups that began in 2003, prompted the
government to support an Arab militia known as the Janjaweed.
The Janjaweed have made it their mission to “clear” civilians from
certain areas of the country. Their methods of “clearance” include
indiscriminate murders, mass rape and innumerable other violations
of international law.
Doesn’t this sound like genocide?
Remember Cambodia. Remember Bosnia. Remember Armenia.
Remember Rwanda. Remember Sudan.
Unfortunately members of the international community have hesitated
to label it as such. The United Nations refers to the situation in
Darfur as a “humanitarian and human rights tragedy of the first order,”
but has not deployed an international peacekeeping contingent to stop
it. Resolution after resolution has passed without any appreciable
action on their part, and within two weeks, the resolution that
allows non-governmental organizations to provide relief will expire
and expel what limited aid has existed.
Recognizing this genocide and the ensuing inaction as deplorable,
concerned humanitarians in our country and around the world organized
rallies on Sunday. More than 30,000 people, many clad in “Save
Darfur” T-shirts and blue berets (in imitation of the hats worn by
UN peacekeeping forces), gathered in New York’s Central Park to send
a very powerful message to world leaders.
The masses of people, who encompassed a refreshing diversity in age,
religion, political convictions and ethnicity, filled the vast East
Meadows lawn. That diversity was a living testimony to one of the most
prevalent themes on that sunny afternoon — that reaction to human
suffering is universal and dissolves all superficial barriers. The
impressive list of speakers and musicians who filled the three hour
time span expanded upon this idea.
Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, who opened the series
of speakers, stressed this idea, passionately proclaiming, “This is
not about politics.
This is about people.”
Albright’s brief but commanding message was followed by some
equally riveting speeches by activists, including Olympic speed
skating medalist Joey Cheek, Oscar-winning actress Mira Sorvino,
New Jersey Rep.
Chris Smith, New York Rep. Charles Rangel, member of Canadian
Parliament Irwin Cotter, BET’s Jeff Johnson, and a myriad of speakers
from various humanitarian organizations such as Amnesty International
and the Darfur Alert Coalition.
The orators were unified not by political party, religion or personal
gain, but by a true sense of humanity and a genuine will to effect
change. Their passion and energy captivated the audience and stressed
the notion that we are all the same because we are all human.
For instance, the opening prayer, which read, “There is one God who
does discriminate with respect to caste, creed, color, or beliefs,” was
read by Imam Talib Abdur-Rashid of the Mosque of Islamic Brotherhood,
while subsequent speakers included Tony Kireopoulos from National
Council of Churches and Steve Gutow from the Jewish Council for Public
Affairs. Vastly different backgrounds, one coherent message.
In addition to the formidable cast of speech-makers, a number of
musicians came out to show their support and to communicate their
message. Starting off with the Nsengiyumva & the Vang’Inanga drum
troupe, performances and pleas for international action came from
the Berklee College of Music, Suzanne Vega, and Brooklyn’s own
Citizen Cope.
Big & Rich, a Nashville-based group that, in the words of MC Jeff
Johnson, “has done more to spread awareness than almost anyone,” gave
an especially compelling performance. Emerging onto the stage wielding
a guitar that read “Love Everyone,” they played country-influenced
tunes with lyrics that clamored for peace.
As the grand finale, O.A.R., a wildly popular group among young
people, played a series of three of their own songs and one cover of
Bob Dylan’s “The Times They Are A-Changin’.” Met with a collective
cheer as they sang the words “Come senators, congressmen, please head
the call,” their final song choice was classic and eerily applicable
to the issue at hand.
With the last chord of O.A.R.’s grand musical performance, those
gathered at the rally began to disperse and swamp the city’s public
transportation system. They returned to life as usual — to home,
school, and work; to Queens, Brooklyn, and Staten Island; to New
Jersey, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania.
However, it is unquestionable that each person was touched by the
three-hour spectacle that they had just witnessed.
One of the most poignant speakers, Ethan Rafal, a student journalist
who was imprisoned in Sudan for taking pictures of government-supported
bombings of civilian villages, aptly verbalized the call to which
many of the rally attendees will now respond:
“You need to take up arms against the Sudanese government, but when
choosing your weapons, I ask that you choose carefully. I ask you
to choose love. I ask you to choose brotherhood. I ask you to choose
humanity.”
Whether by handing out fliers, sending a text message to the White
House, or simply informing someone on the subway about the plight
in Darfur, each person at the rally has garnered such weapons and
employed them.
In the words of a prisoner Rafal met during his time in Sudan,
“As long as we are human, as long as there are violations of human
rights, we will do something.
As long as there is human suffering, we cannot stand by and wait. We
must act.”
Remember Cambodia. Remember Bosnia. Remember Armenia.
Remember Rwanda. Remember Sudan.

COUNCIL OF CIS PRIME MINISTERS TO CREATE SYSTEM OF LEGAL INFORMATION EXCHANGES
Gazeta.KZ, Kazakhstan
22.09.2006
Kazakhstan today
MINSK. A draft agreement on the interstate system of legal information
exchanges in the established order will be reviewed at a meeting of
the Council of CIS Prime Ministers. Such decision was adopted at a
meeting of the expert group that took place September 21 in the CIS
Executive Committee in Minsk, Kazakhstan Today reports citing the
CIS Executive Committee.
The issue of the interstate system of legal information exchanges was
brought in compliance with the introduced remarks and propositions
at the meeting.
Authorised representatives and experts from Armenia, Belarus,
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Turkmenistan, Ukraine,
as well as representatives of the CIS Interparliamentary Assembly,
the CIS Economic Court, the CIS Executive Committee. The Ukrainian
delegation participated as an observer.