Eurasia Daily Monitor
Tuesday, August 1, 2006 — Volume 3, Issue 148
GEORGIA DEMONSTRATES POLITICAL, MILITARY SKILL IN KODORI GORGE
by Vladimir Socor
Georgian authorities are beginning to restore normal conditions for
daily life in the upper Kodori Gorge, following the successful law-and-order
operation on July 25-27 that forced the Moscow-manipulated rebel chieftain
Emzar Kvitsiani to flee the area. The upper Kodori Gorge is the only part
of pre-1992 Abkhazia’s territory not controlled by the secessionist
authorities.
Conducted jointly by Georgia’s Internal Affairs and Defense
Ministries, with ministers Vano Merabishvili and Irakli Okruashvili
personally in charge, the operation turned out to be remarkably clean. It
has entailed only one civilian death, two policemen injured, and no known
casualties among Kvitsiani’s followers, a small number of whom have
apparently made their way into Abkhaz-controlled territory. Russian
propaganda clearly failed in its attempt to build up Kvitsiani into a
spokesman for the Svan ethnic group that inhabits the Kodori Gorge.
Most Defense Ministry personnel are already being withdrawn from the
high-altitude gorge in the wake of the successful operation. An Interior
Ministry unit, reinforced by a small military element, is to be permanently
stationed in Kodori in order to provide security for the population and
prevent organized crime. Substantial arms caches have been found and
continue to be discovered on a daily basis. According to intelligence data,
Russian and Abkhaz special services had delivered weapons to Kvitsiani’s
group in March, presumably in preparation for the rebellion he had launched
on July 22 against the Georgian government. At least some of the weapons
apparently originated from Russia’s base at Gudauta in Abkhazia, where the
arms stockpile of the `Baghramian’ Armenian battalion was ostensibly
`robbed’ and its rifles and grenade launchers sent up the gorge to
Kvitsiani’s group.
Kvitsiani and his nephew Bacho Argvliani, who operated criminal
rackets in the area, are being sought for investigation and trial. Russian
television has twice interviewed Kvitsiani at an undisclosed location,
presumably in Abkhazia. He used the interviews to urge Georgian soldiers and
policemen to turn their arms against their commanders, ministers, and the
Georgian president; and he continued urging `Mingrelians’ to rise against
the Georgian government — a line intermittently used in Russian
psychological warfare operations against Georgia since the early 1990s and
that always fell flat. Reverting, moreover, to one of Moscow’s themes
familiar from the two anti-Chechen wars, Kvitsiani alleged in these
interviews that `Arabs’ and `Chechens’ participated in the Georgian
operation and that he also “tore the mask off a Negro,’ presumably proving
American involvement (Russian TV Channel One `Vremya,’ July 27; Imedi TV,
July 30).
Georgian authorities are currently distributing flour, sugar,
vegetable oil, and other staples to Kodori residents as well as 200 lari
($115) in cash per household. The authorities are bringing construction
materials into the gorge for an urgent program to rebuild schools, roads, a
medical clinic, and a disused airfield, as well as restoring bus service to
Kodori from the rest of Georgia.
The Tbilisi-backed legislative assembly and government of the pre-1992
Autonomous Republic of Abkhazia is now moving from Tbilisi to the Kodori
Gorge. It shall be headquartered temporarily in the village of Azhara,
pending the construction of an appropriate building. These pre-1992 bodies
represent Abkhazia’s entire population, including its Georgian population,
which had formed 45% of the total (to 17% Abkhaz) prior to the Russia-aided
mass ethnic cleansing of Georgians. The relocation of these institutions
from Tbilisi to the Kodori Gorge, within the pre-1992 Abkhazia’s territory,
amounts to a strong political signal that Georgia intends to reverse the
outcome of that war, albeit through a political process. Georgia will
probably support the participation of representatives of these two
institutions in some role in the negotiations toward a political resolution
of the conflict.
In Sukhumi, delegations from Russia’s North Caucasus and southern
Russian regions held talks with the secessionist leadership in recent days,
promising to send `thousands of volunteers’ to support Abkhazia in the event
of hostilities with Georgia. They declare that they would in that case reach
Abkhazia and Georgia itself not only or not necessarily through Sukhumi
(which would expose the Russian political authorities’ complicity), but
rather via Kabardino-Balkaria or Karachay-Cherkessia. In that case, however,
the hand of Russia’s secret services would be exposed. Although Tbilisi is
determined not to initiate any such hostilities, Russian military
intelligence may well use its experience at provoking clashes so as to
discredit Georgia.
In the wake of Georgia’s successful operation, President Mikheil
Saakashvili told the nation that a retreat from Kodori or negotiations with
Kvitsiani (as the latter’s handlers were seeking) `would have been the
beginning of the end of Georgian statehood.’ Thanks to the skillful
operation, however, Kvitsiani seems set to join the `brigade of political
corpses’ in a Russian safe haven.
(Rustavi-2 TV, Imedi TV, Kavkas-Press, Apsnypress, Interfax, July
26-31; see EDM, July 25)
–Vladimir Socor

Armenian National Committee of America
1711 N Street NW
Washington, DC 20036
Tel: (202) 775-1918
Fax: (202) 775-5648
E-mail: [email protected]
Internet:
PRESS RELEASE
August 1, 2006
Contact: Elizabeth S. Chouldjian
Tel: (202) 775-1918
SEN. BIDEN DELAYS SENATE FOREIGN RELATIONS
COMMITTEE VOTE ON HOAGLAND NOMINATION
— Sen. Kerry Joins in Calling for Delay Until After August Recess
— Senator Allen Supports Call for Delay
WASHINGTON, DC – Senator Joseph Biden (D-DE), the Ranking Democrat
on the Foreign Relations Committee, was joined today by Senator
John Kerry (D-MA) in forcing a month-long delay in the Committee’s
vote on the controversial nomination of Richard Hoagland to replace
the current U.S. Ambassador to Armenia John Evans, reported the
Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).
The controversy within the Foreign Relations Committee over the
Hoagland nomination began with Senator Biden’s June 23rd letter
asking Secretary of State Rice Condoleezza Rice to respond to a
series of questions, including specific inquiries about reports
that the current Ambassador had been recalled due to his having
“accurately described the Armenian Genocide as genocide.” The
debate over the merits of the nomination heated up during the June
28th confirmation hearing due to the nominee’s evasive and
unresponsive answers to straightforward questions posed by panel
members about U.S. policy on the Armenian Genocide. Following the
hearing, Ambassador-designate Hoagland, in a sharp departure from
established Administration practice, responded to a written Senate
inquiry by questioning the genocidal intent of the perpetrators of
the Armenian Genocide, a denial tactic frequently used by the
Turkish government.
As a result of the intervention of Senators Biden and Kerry,
Ambassador-designate Hoagland’s nomination will not be considered
by the Committee until the Committee’s next business meeting in
September.
“The ANCA welcomes the leadership of Senators Biden and Kerry in
ensuring that the Foreign Relations Committee has the time to more
carefully consider the implications – for both our foreign policy
and our values as a nation – of confirming a U.S. Ambassador to
Armenia who is on record denying the Armenian Genocide,” said ANCA
Chairman Ken Hachikian. “We appreciate, as well, the principled
efforts of Senators Allen, Boxer, Chafee, Coleman, Dodd, Feingold,
Kennedy, Reed, Sarbanes, and others to seek an honest explanation
of the firing of Ambassador Evans, to explore the role of the
Turkish government in his recall, and to insist that the
Administration clearly articulate its stand on the recognition of
the Armenian Genocide.”
The panel’s decision comes in the wake of a nationwide campaign by
the ANCA – in Washington, DC and in grassroots communities across
the country – to demand answers concerning the recall of Amb. Evans
and to educate Senators about the adverse impact of sending an
envoy to Armenia that has called into question the genocidal
character of Ottoman Turkey’s systematic destruction of its
Armenian population. The ANCA has mobilized thousands of activists
to share their views with their Senators and Representatives about
the need for an honest explanation of Ambassador Evans’ recall and,
more broadly, the exact outlines of the State Department’s policy
on the Armenian Genocide.
As early as this February, Members of Congress, at the urging of
the ANCA, began pressing the State Department for a full, open, and
official explanation of the firing of the current U.S. Ambassador
to Armenia, over his truthful comment last year on the Armenian
Genocide. Despite a series of Congressional letters and questions
posed during Congressional testimony by Secretary of State Rice and
other senior officials, the Administration failed to provide a
meaningful explanation of its decision to recall Ambassador Evans.
In the shadow of this controversy, Ambassador-designate Hoagland
came before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on June 28th for
a confirmation hearing, alongside the President’s nominees to
represent the U.S. in Ireland and Switzerland. During this
hearing, Senators George Allen (R-VA) and Norm Coleman (R-MN)
pressed Ambassador-designate Hoagland for answers about U.S. policy
on the Armenian Genocide. Senator Paul Sarbanes (D-MD) expressed
serious reservations concerning the circumstances of the nomination
and the Administration’s policy on the Armenian Genocide.
Ambassador-designate Hoagland’s responses during the hearing, and
later to written questions submitted by panel members, were largely
evasive, characterized by repeated – often strained – efforts to
avoid using the term genocide, even while refusing to acknowledge
that he had been instructed not to use this term. The following
day, on June 29th, the panel, and then the full Senate, voted to
confirm nominees for the ambassadors to Ireland and Switzerland,
but chose to not take any action on Hoagland’s nomination.
In the days that followed his confirmation hearing, Ambassador-
designate Hoagland responded to several dozen written questions
concerning U.S. policy on the Armenian Genocide, the recall of
Ambassador Evans, and the instructions he had received regarding
how to address this matter if confirmed by the Senate. Among his
written responses to a series of questions posed by Senator Barbara
Boxer (D-CA), was a deeply troubling, morally objectionable and
historically inaccurate indication that the Armenian Genocide did
not meet the U.S. definition of genocide because of the absence of
a “specific intent” on the part of the perpetrator. This denial of
the Armenian Genocide – which went far beyond the bounds of the
Administration’s traditional policy – prompted the ANCA to announce
its formal opposition to Richard Hoagland’s nomination on July
18th.
For the official ANCA statement, visit:
leases.php?prid – 6
Soon after, the ANCA determined that, according to Department of
Justice records, the State Department had misled the U.S. Senate
about its communications with the Turkish government concerning the
February 2005 public affirmation of the Armenian Genocide by
Ambassador Evans. In a letter, dated June 28th, written on behalf
of Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to Senator Biden, the State
Department denied that the Turkish government had even approached
the Administration on this issue. However, official Foreign Agent
Registration Act filings by the Turkish government’s registered
foreign agent, the Livingston Group, document that, in the days
following Ambassador Evans’ February 19, 2005 remarks, one of
Turkey’s agents communicated on at least four different occasions
with State Department officials concerning the envoy’s statement
and his subsequent retraction.
To date, half of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, including
Senators George Allen (R-VA), Joseph Biden (D-DE), Barbara Boxer
(D-CA), Lincoln Chafee (R-RI), Norm Coleman (R-MN), Christopher
Dodd (D-CT), Russell Feingold (D-WI), John Kerry (D-MA) and Paul
Sarbanes (D-MD), have contacted Secretary Rice or questioned
Ambassador Designate Hoagland directly regarding the Armenian
Genocide. Senators Edward Kennedy (D-MA) and Jack Reed (D-RI),
along with over sixty members of the House have also expressed
serious concerns to the State Department on this matter.
For a comprehensive overview of documents regarding the firing of
Ambassador Evans and the Hoagland controversy, visit:
p

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
August 1, 2006
CONTACT: Christine Kojoian
E-mail: [email protected]
BIDEN & KERRY REQUEST HOLDOVER FOR AMBASSADOR DESIGNATE
Senate Vote on Hoagland Delayed Until September
Washington, DC – The nomination of Richard E. Hoagland as America’s
next Ambassador to Armenia was held over by the Senate Foreign
Relations Committee today, following concerns expressed by Ranking
Member Joseph Biden (D-DE) and Senator John Kerry (D-MA) to delay
consideration until the Committee’s next business meeting.
The lawmakers communicated their concerns to Committee Chairman
Senator Richard G. Lugar (R-IN), who announced the holdover. Biden
told Committee Members that “more than one colleague had approached
[him],” suggesting that voting be delayed until the next meeting.
Biden also said that although he does not expect the Administration to
change its position on this issue, he hopes they will find a way to
acknowledge the Armenian Genocide. Senator George Allen (R-VA), who
questioned Hoagland during his confirmation hearing in June, added
that “there was a Genocide” and that “Ambassador [John] Evans had to
resign for stating the obvious.”
Hoagland is slated to replace Ambassador Evans who tendered his
resignation after serving only two years of what is typically a
three-year assignment. Last year, Evans was rebuked by the State
Department after publicly affirming the Armenian Genocide in the
course of his comments in the U.S. when he said “the Armenian Genocide
was the first genocide of the twentieth century.”
In making his statements, Evans pointed to the International Center
for Transitional Justice (ICTJ), which concluded that the events of
1915 could be properly characterized as Genocide. President Bush
himself has twice referenced the ICTJ study. Additionally, a letter
from the State Department to Biden called it a “significant step
toward reconciliation” (See attached letter).
Members of Congress from both sides of the aisle have voiced their
concerns to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice over reports that
Ambassador Evans’ premature departure may be due to his public
comments on the Armenian Genocide. To date, the State Department has
provided no additional justification for Evans’ departure other than
to say that all Ambassadors serve at the pleasure of the President and
that allegations that Turkey was involved in pressuring for his early
departure are untrue. In addition to Senators Biden and Kerry, several
other Committee Members, including Sens. Lincoln Chafee (R-RI), Paul
Sarbanes (D-MD), George Allen (R-VA), Norm Coleman (R-MN), Russ
Feingold (D-WI) and Barbara Boxer (D-CA), have also pressed Hoagland
to clarify U.S. policy on the Armenian Genocide and to explain, how,
if confirmed, he plans to speak about the Genocide.
“The Assembly thanks Members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee
for their leadership on this issue and their steadfast support of
reaffirming the Armenian Genocide,” said Executive Director Bryan
Ardouny. “If the United States wants to play a leading role in the
region to help foster peace and democracy, then it should help Turkey
come to terms with its past and also establish normal relations with
its neighbor, Armenia. Speaking the truth should not be a punishable
offense. The Administration should take the next logical step to its
stated position, which provides a textbook definition of the Armenian
Genocide without using the words and, once and for all, reaffirm this
crime against humanity.”
The Committee has not set a date for voting on the nomination, which
must take place before it goes to the full Senate for approval. In
the meantime, Ambassador Evans remains in Yerevan.
Hoagland has told Committee Members that if approved, he will
faithfully represent the President’s policy, which neither denies nor
properly acknowledges the attempted annihilation of the Armenian
people as Genocide. Hoagland, a career member of the Senior Foreign
Service, currently serves as United States Ambassador to the Republic
of Tajikistan. Prior to this, he served as Director of the Office of
Caucasus and Central Asian Affairs at the Department of State.
Earlier in his career, he served as Director of the Office of Public
Diplomacy in the Bureau of South Asian Affairs.
Born in Fort Wayne, Indiana, Ambassador Hoagland completed his
graduate degrees at the University of Virginia and earned a
certificate in French from the University of Grenoble, France. Before
joining the Foreign Service in 1985, Ambassador Hoagland taught
English as a foreign language in the then-Zaire (1974-1976) and
African literature at the University of Virginia’s Carter-Woodson
Institute of African and Afro-American Studies.
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#2006-072
Editor ‘s Note: Attached is the full text of the State Department’s
letter to Senator Biden.
United States Department of State Washington, D.C. 20520
June 28, 2006
Dear Senator Biden:
Thank you for your letter of June 23 concerning Ambassador John Evans.
Ambassador Evans recently tendered his resignation as Ambassador to
the Republic of Armenia, but currently remains in charge of our
Embassy in Yerevan. We continue to work closely with him and his
capable team. Please be assured that allegations that the U.S. is
removing Ambassador Evans under pressure from the Government of Turkey
are simply untrue. The Government of Turkey has not approached the
Administration on this issue, and the United States and Turkey engaged
in no diplomatic exchanges related to this matter.
All U.S. Ambassadors, both career and non-career, serve at the
pleasure of the President and as advocates of the President’s
policies. President Bush has expressed his policy regarding the tragic
events of 1915 each year of his Presidency with his personal statement
on Armenian Remembrance Day, April 24. In those statements, the
President has called on all concerned parties to engage in thoughtful
introspection on the forced exile and mass killing of as many as 1.5
million Armenians by Ottoman troops. We share the profound sorrow of
Armenian communities around the world regarding these horrific
events. We believe this tragedy is of such enormous human significance
that its characterization should be determined through heartfelt
dialogue, not through diplomatic or political proclamations.
We are encouraging all concerned parties to advance such dialogue. One
such effort produced the analysis of the International Center for
Transitional Justice (ICTJ). This study of the legal character of the
horrors of 1915 marked a significant step toward reconciliation and
restoration of the spirit of tolerance and cultural richness that has
connected the people of the Caucasus and Anatolia for centuries.
Please let us know if we can be of assistance on this or any other
matter.
Sincerely,
Jeffrey T. Bergner
Assistant Secretary
Legislative Affairs

SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIP AGAINST THE VISION OF PERSONAL HAPPINESS
Lragir.am
01 Aug 06
Perhaps the Republican Party has not realized yet what favor it did
to the public by holding an early conference on July 22. Not only did
the Republican Party display its face, but it also revealed the faces
of others. Perhaps this premonition made some political parties reveal
their own faces long before the conference, although it would be more
precise to tell that they hurried to take the step of covering their
own face more safely. Dashnak Alvard Petrosyan announced that over
70 percent of the intellect in the political sphere of Armenia is in
the Armenian Revolutionary Federation. The answer of the Republicans
did not make wait long. Certainly, they did not announce that the
godfather of the most intellectual victory of Armenia, the “king of
Torino” Serge Sargsyan is a Republican.
But young Republican Armen Ashotyan announced before the conference of
the Republican Party that let Dashnaktsutiun mind their own business
until the parliamentary election.
It is difficult to tell what business Armen Ashotyan hinted at, but
he is a rather smart young man and he must have known something when
he spoke or at least he had been told what to say. It goes without
saying that responsibility for 70 percent of the intellect is really a
hard job. They require care. Intellect does not grow in the field to
go and pick up. They have hardly come, so one needs to take care of
them. And perhaps the Republican Party knows how difficult it is for
Dashnaktsutiun to take care for its intellectuals, therefore it advises
to mind their own business instead of one aspiration or another. In
order to sponsor intellect one needs to be at least a defense minister,
whereas the only defense minister is in the Republican Party. And to
become convinced of this, the Republicans had invited representatives
of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (Dashnaktsutiun) to come
and see and get down to minding their own business.
And the Dashnaks went and saw. It is not clear, however, what they
thought. Other’s “good luck” makes remember one’s own problems but
everything is different when this other implies by their behavior
at several ways of getting over problems. For instance, how Dashnaks
can get rid of problems. It is clear: one gets rid of Dashnaktsutiun
and one is free from the problem of the ARF. However, such a simple
solution would not occur to everyone, of course. The intellect is
not good at simple solutions. For this, one needs to be a genius or
lack intellect, at least a little. Certainly, Dashnaktsutiun would
not have a problem of genius if there was at least one genius in our
political sphere. Therefore, the most simple solution of getting rid
of problems would occur to those whom others would prompt.
And it is not accidental that the Republicans prompted Dashnaks about
the problems before the early conference and invited them to the
conference to prompt the simple way of getting rid of problems. They
pointed to the “happiness of the criminal” and forgot about the
“problem of the intellect”. Certainly, only for those who saw
the happiness of the criminal. And among Dashnaks the members of
parliament Armen Rustamyan and Spartak Seyranyan were “lucky” to see
the “happiness of the criminal”. And they even say that witnessing did
its “evil job” and it even occurred to Armen Rustamyan to tell his
party friends and persuade them that the percentage of intellect is
not as important in life as the percentage of votes, which guarantees
seats in the parliament and the government.
And they even say that Rustamyan has already acquired supporters
inside the political party. In other words, he managed to persuade
some people. In case of failure they have the vision of “personal
happiness”, however. In other words, the simplest way of getting rid
of the problem of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation.
HAKOB BADALYAN

ASBAREZ ONLINE
TOP STORIES
08/01/2006
TO ACCESS PREVIOUS ASBAREZ ONLINE EDITIONS PLEASE VISIT OUR
WEBSITE AT <;HTTP://WWW.ASBAREZ. COM 1. Sen. Biden Delays Senate Foreign Relations Committee Vote On Hoagland Nomination 2. Aram I Says Israel Must Stop Massacre of Lebanese People 3. Minsk Group Co-Chairs to Discuss Peace Process in Paris 1. Sen. Biden Delays Senate Foreign Relations Committee Vote On Hoagland Nomination WASHINGTON--Senator Joseph Biden (D-DE), the Ranking Democrat on the Foreign Relations Committee, was joined today by Senator John Kerry (D-MA) in forcing a month-long delay in the Committee's vote on the controversial nomination of Richard Hoagland to replace the current US Ambassador to Armenia John Evans, reported the Armenian National Committee of America. The controversy within the Foreign Relations Committee over the Hoagland nomination began with Senator Biden's June 23rd letter asking Secretary of State Rice Condoleezza Rice to respond to a series of questions, including specific inquiries about reports that the current Ambassador had been recalled due to his having "accurately described the Armenian Genocide as genocide." The debate over the merits of the nomination heated up during the June 28 confirmation hearing due to the nominee's evasive and unresponsive answers to straightforward questions posed by panel members about US policy on the Armenian Genocide. Following the hearing, Ambassador-designate Hoagland, in a sharp departure from established Administration practice, responded to a written Senate inquiry by questioning the genocidal intent of the perpetrators of the Armenian Genocide, a denial tactic frequently used by the Turkish government. As a result of the intervention of Senators Biden and Kerry, Ambassador-designate Hoagland's nomination will not be considered by the Committee until the Committee's next business meeting in September. "The ANCA welcomes the leadership of Senators Biden and Kerry in ensuring that the Foreign Relations Committee has the time to more carefully consider the implications--for both our foreign policy and our values as a nation--of confirming a US Ambassador to Armenia who is on record denying the Armenian Genocide," said ANCA Chairman Ken Hachikian. "We appreciate, as well, the principled efforts of Senators Allen, Boxer, Chafee, Coleman, Dodd, Feingold, Kennedy, Reed, Sarbanes, and others to seek an honest explanation of the firing of Ambassador Evans, to explore the role of the Turkish government in his recall, and to insist that the Administration clearly articulate its stand on the recognition of the Armenian Genocide." The panel's decision comes in the wake of a nationwide campaign by the ANCA--in Washington, DC and in grassroots communities across the country--to demand answers concerning the recall of Amb. Evans and to educate Senators about the adverse impact of sending an envoy to Armenia that has called into question the genocidal character of Ottoman Turkey's systematic destruction of its Armenian population. The ANCA has mobilized thousands of activists to share their views with their Senators and Representatives about the need for an honest explanation of Ambassador Evans' recall and, more broadly, the exact outlines of the State Department's policy on the Armenian Genocide. As early as this February, Members of Congress, at the urging of the ANCA, began pressing the State Department for a full, open, and official explanation of the firing of the current US Ambassador to Armenia, over his truthful comment last year on the Armenian Genocide. Despite a series of Congressional letters and questions posed during Congressional testimony by Secretary of State Rice and other senior officials, the Administration failed to provide a meaningful explanation of its decision to recall Ambassador Evans. In the shadow of this controversy, Ambassador-designate Hoagland came before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on June 28 for a confirmation hearing, alongside the President's nominees to represent the US in Ireland and Switzerland. During this hearing, Senators George Allen (R-VA) and Norm Coleman (R-MN) pressed Ambassador-designate Hoagland for answers about US policy on the Armenian Genocide. Senator Paul Sarbanes (D-MD) expressed serious reservations concerning the circumstances of the nomination and the Administration's policy on the Armenian Genocide. Ambassador-designate Hoagland's responses during the hearing, and later to written questions submitted by panel members, were largely evasive, characterized by repeated--often strained--efforts to avoid using the term genocide, even while refusing to acknowledge that he had been instructed not to use this term. The following day, on June 29, the panel, and then the full Senate, voted to confirm nominees for the ambassadors to Ireland and Switzerland, but chose to not take any action on Hoagland's nomination. In the days that followed his confirmation hearing, Ambassador-designate Hoagland responded to several dozen written questions concerning US policy on the Armenian Genocide, the recall of Ambassador Evans, and the instructions he had received regarding how to address this matter if confirmed by the Senate. Among his written responses to a series of questions posed by Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA), was a deeply troubling, morally objectionable and historically inaccurate indication that the Armenian Genocide did not meet the US definition of genocide because of the absence of a "specific intent" on the part of the perpetrator. This denial of the Armenian Genocide--which went far beyond the bounds of the Administration's traditional policy--prompted the ANCA to announce its formal opposition to Richard Hoagland's nomination on July 18. Soon after, the ANCA determined that, according to Department of Justice records, the State Department had misled the US Senate about its communications with the Turkish government concerning the February 2005 public affirmation of the Armenian Genocide by Ambassador Evans. In a letter, dated June 28th, written on behalf of Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to Senator Biden, the State Department denied that the Turkish government had even approached the Administration on this issue. However, official Foreign Agent Registration Act filings by the Turkish government's registered foreign agent, the Livingston Group, document that, in the days following Ambassador Evans' February 19, 2005 remarks, one of Turkey's agents communicated on at least four different occasions with State Department officials concerning the envoy's statement and his subsequent retraction. To date, half of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, including Senators George Allen (R-VA), Joseph Biden (D-DE), Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Lincoln Chafee (R-RI), Norm Coleman (R-MN), Christopher Dodd (D-CT), Russell Feingold (D-WI), John Kerry (D-MA) and Paul Sarbanes (D-MD), have contacted Secretary Rice or questioned Ambassador Designate Hoagland directly regarding the Armenian Genocide. Senators Edward Kennedy (D-MA) and Jack Reed (D-RI), along with over sixty members of the House have also expressed serious concerns to the State Department on this matter. For a comprehensive overview of documents regarding the firing of Ambassador Evans and the Hoagland controversy, please visit anca.org 2. Aram I Says Israel Must Stop Massacre of Lebanese People ANTELLIAS, LebanonHis Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia tersely condemned the bombing of a building in the southern Lebanese city of Qana, calling it a massacre. "What has happened in Qana, South Lebanon by Israel, is outrageous, inhumane and against all international laws and conventions," the Catholicos said in a statement to the international press. "I simply do not understand how Israel describes as 'a technical error' the shelling with his advanced and sophisticated war machine a building where children, women, sick and disabled people have taken refuge. All sorts of justifications or clarifications provided by Israel are unacceptable in the face of this human tragedy," said Aram I. Speaking about the continuing attacks, Aram I said: "Was the shelling by Israel of a UN observer post in South Lebanon, which took the lives of four UN observers a `technical error'? Was the pounding of civilian cars, ambulances and trucks carrying humanitarian aid to the refugees 'a technical error'? Was the destruction of roads, bridges, electricity supplying centers and infrastructures it 'a technical error'? Was the bombing of building housing hundreds of families 'a technical error'?" Aram I emphatically added that "This war must end. It must stop immediately and without any condition. Innocent people are being killed, families are being destroyed; Lebanon is on the brink of collapse and people are still dealing with diplomacy. One cannot remain indifferent before human slaughter... We must protect human life by all means. The UN and the powers of this world must act firmly on this basis. This is the realistic way of dealing responsibly with this complex and critical situation. First protection of life and only then creation of proper conditions for diplomacy and for the settlement of the conflict. Therefore, I add my voice to the Spiritual Leaders, both Muslem and Christian, of Lebanon, to appeal to the international community, for an immediate cease-fire." 3. Minsk Group Co-Chairs to Discuss Peace Process in Paris BAKU (Armenpress, RFE/RL)--The OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs will assess the recent visit by US Co-chairman Matthew Bryza to the region during a two-day meeting, which was scheduled to begin to day in Paris, reported Armenpress. Bryza is going to present the results of his regional visit to his French and Russian counterparts, Trend news agency reported Meanwhile, President Ilham Aliyev again rejected any resolution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict that would not put Karabakh under Azeri control ahead of talks with a visiting top US negotiator on Tuesday, reported Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty "Azerbaijan will never--neither today, nor tomorrow and under no circumstances -- agree to Nagorno-Karabakh's secession from Azerbaijan," Aliyev told his cabinet in remarks reported by Azeri newspapers on Tuesday. "The issue of Azerbaijan's territorial integrity can not be a subject of negotiations." Aliyev and his Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov were meeting later in the day with Bryza. "I do not have much to tell you at the moment," the Azeri ANS television quoted Bryza as telling reporters in Baku. "Actually, there is nothing [new] to speak about." Aliyev has repeatedly demanded restoration of Azeri control over Karabakh in recent months amid fading hopes for an Armenian-Azeri agreement which international mediators hoped will be signed this year. However, a framework peace accord proposed by a team of American, French and Russian mediators seems to allow for the possibility of Karabakh's independence or reunification with Armenia. The three co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group favor a gradual resolution of the dispute that would culminate in a referendum of self-determination in Karabakh. Bryza confirmed over the weekend that under the terms of the proposed deal, the disputed region's status would be decided by the "people of Karabakh." He indicated that this includes the region's former Azeri residents that were forced to flee their homes during the 1991-94 war. Bryza spoke with RFE/RL in Yerevan after holding talks with President Robert Kocharian and before proceeding to Stepanakert where he met with the leadership of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic. Nagorno-Karabakh Republic president Arkady Ghoukassian told reporters after the meeting that he briefed Bryza on the Stepanakert government's position on the conflict which he said is "somewhat different from the approaches favored by the co-chairs." "I think Mr. Bryza understands that it is impossible to settle the conflict without Karabakh's participation," he said. "Not only he but all the co-chairs realize that." However, Bryza made it clear in his RFE/RL interview that it is the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan that must have the final say in the peace process. He downplayed in that regard the fact that he is apparently the most high-ranking US government official to ever visit Karabakh. "There is no statement of any sort that should be read from my visit to Stepanakert other than that I am going there in my sole capacity as a co-chair so I can understand better what the situation and what the views are of the people that are living in Karabakh," Bryza said. All subscription inquiries and changes must be made through the proper carrier and not Asbarez Online. ASBAREZ ONLINE does not transmit address changes and subscription requests. (c) 2006 ASBAREZ ONLINE. All Rights Reserved. ASBAREZ provides this news service to ARMENIAN NEWS NETWORK members for academic research or personal use only and may not be reproduced in or through mass media outlets. From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

EU SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE SUGGEST ESTABLISHMENT OF AN ARMENIAN-
AZERBAIJANI ORGANIZATION FOR FIRE PREVENTION
Yerevan, July 31. ArmInfo. The issue of fires in the woods on the
Karabakh-Azerbaijan border was discussed during the latest visit of EU
Special Representative in South Caucasus Peter Semneby to the region.
In an interview to ‘Trend’ agency Mr. Semneby said that both the sides
must be interested in a bilateral Armenian-Azerbaijani organization
for fire prevention. He expressed hope that this suggestion will be
considered seriously. To the Special Representative’s opinion this
organization will help to establish contact and trust between the
two sides of the conflict.

HUMANITARIAN AID FROM ARMENIA REACHES LEBANON
Yerevan, July 31. ArmInfo. The humanitarian aid from Armenia reached
Lebanon. The Press Service of RA Foreign Ministry informed that
the aid was taken to Syria and handed to the Supreme Commission for
Humanitarian Aid Issues of Lebanon. The 7,5 tones of humanitarian
aid includes 52 medicines and medical instruments for first aid.

NEW UNDERGOUND STATION TO BE BUILT IN YEREVAN SOON
Yerevan, July 31. ArmInfo. In 2008-2009, the construction of the new
“Achapniak” underground station will be completed in Yerevan. Yervand
Zakharian, Mayor of Yerevan City, said this at today’s press
conference.
He said that the construction of “Achapniak” underground station
began few years ago, but wasn’t completed because of the lack of
financial sources. According to the plans of the previous years,
about $22 million were required for the construction works. In 2007,
new project account documents will be elaborated for the construction
works. As for the transport issues, Zakharian said that in September
2006, new 76 “Bogdan” mini busses will be brought to Yerevan. Besides,
25 new Russian trolley busses will be purchased for the capital. Each
of the trolley busses costs $70 thousand. The Mayor’s Office also
envisages to complete the renovation works of the bus stations,
100 of which will be exploited already in September.
In total, AMD 1,6 billion of work was carried out in the sphere of
the capital’s transport.

HIGH PROFITABILITY AND 100% CREDIT REFUNDABILITY TO URGE THE ARMENIAN
BANKS TO AGGRESSIVE CREDIT POLICY
Yerevan, July 31. ArmInfo. High profitability and 100% credit
refundability to urge the Armenian banks to aggressive credit policy
and to promoting the economic progress in Armenia, said on the 9-th
meeting of the Armenian Bankers’ Union Tigran Sarkisian, head of
the Central Bank. According to the banker, Moody’s Ba2 rating allows
Armenia to obtain investment rating. Due to that Armenian banks will
be able to attract international capital to Armenia for longer terms.
He said that at present only 3 banks are involved in that activity
and are expecting to receive their credit rating in September.
Tigran Sarkisian also noted that the rating given to Armenia is
a positive indicator. He said that Armenia is on one level with
Azerbaijan, has 1 point advantage of Turkey and 2 of Georgia.
Armenia’s rating allows the government to issue obligations and
distribute them on the international market. Mr. Sarkisian said
that according to Moody’s new policy, each bank can also have its
individual rating.
Finance and Economy Minister Vardan Khachatrian in his return noted
that in the nearest few years the Government of Armenia will not
issue obligations. He also added that Armenia’s rating by Moody’s
is one point higher that the rating by Fitch Ratings. He explained
that Fitch Ratings overestimated the finance risk connected with
the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. As a negative factor of the Armenian
economy, pointed out by Moody’s, the Minister named the high rate
of dollarization.

UNION OF ARMENIAN BANKS AND RA CENTRAL BANK ANNOUNCE ABOUT JOINT
EFFORTS DIRECTED TO REDUCTION OF SHADOW ECONOMY AND ACTIVATION OF
BANKS IN MARKET OF CREDITTING ARMENIAN ECONOMY
Yerevan, July 31. ArmInfo. Today, in the course of the joint meeting
of the Union of the Armenian Banks and RA Central Bank, it decided
to carry out joint arrangements directed to reduction of the shadow
economy and activation of the banks in the crediting market. Chairman
of RA Central Bank Tigran Sargsian and Stepan Gishian, chairman of
Board of the Union of the Armenian Banks, stated about this in their
speeches. They stated that the level of shadow economy is quite high
in Armenia and this hinders the fair competition.
Sargsian stated that the banking system of Armenia functions out of
the shadow and its published indicators fully reflect the reality. He
added that due to its adequacy and liquidity, the banking system
of Armenia is a rather high level. The ROA and ROE profitability
level of our banking system is even higher than that of the European
countries. Sargsian said that in the coming few years the high level
of profitability will secure stability and high tempos of development
for the banking system of Armenia.
In his turn, S. Gishian pointed out the main strategic lines for the
development of the Union of the Armenian Banks for 2006. This deepening
of cooperation between UBA and RA Central Bank, RA Government and RA
Parliament, with the European Banking Federation, application of new
daft laws for will contribute to the improvement of the legislative
climate and development of the banking system of Armenia.
Touching upon the achievements fixed in the banking system of Armenian
in 2005, Gishian said that the GDP grew by 13,9%, the common actives
of the banks by 21,2%, common capital by 46,6%, the volume of credit
investments by 36%, the profitability of the capital by 15,3%.
In 2005, the liquidity of the banking system made 41,8%, the credit
rates decreased by almost 4 times. Gishian stated that RA Central
Bank will coordinate the steps envisaged for 2006.
Five banks of Armenia participated in today’s meeting, particularly,
Areximbank, Armenian Development Bank, “Ararat” Bank, ArmInvestBank
and Unibank.