HOLLAND MOVES TO BAN HOLOCAUST DENIAL
By Hilary Leila Krieger
Jerusalem Post
June 11 2006
When a Dutch family comes back to Holland after eight years of living
in Israel, people tend to assume its members are Jewish.
So says Leon Meijer, and he should know. Meijer, who completed his
doctorate at the Technion, learned that lesson the hard way when his
11-year-old daughter was told by a classmate soon after her return:
“It’s a pity Hitler didn’t finish the job.”
Meijer was shocked not only by the comment, but by the discovery that
the Netherlands has no laws clearly outlawing Holocaust denial.
Now, six years later, he has drafted legislation which would do just
that. Under his proposal, individuals who deny or glorify genocide
with the intent to hurt others could be fined or sentenced to up
to a year in jail. The law would be added to current legislation
prohibiting discrimination on the grounds of race and religion.
Meijer, who serves as an adviser to the Christian Union party,
which is sponsoring the legislation, described the measure as more
urgent now that “echoes” of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadenijad’s
denials of the Holocaust could be heard in Holland. “People copy these
kinds of remarks,” he said, also noting that the number of Holocaust
survivors who can personally testify to what happened during World
War II is dwindling.
Though the Christian Union holds only three seats in the 150-member
parliament, Meijer said that his bill enjoys a good deal of support.
Even so, it would take at least six to nine months to approve.
He noted that possible pitfalls include fears that the law would limit
free speech, which is one reason he offered to explain why Holland –
unlike its neighbors – hasn’t banned Holocaust denial outright.
France, Belgium, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Romania, Slovakia,
Czech Republic, Lithuania and Poland all have made Holocaust denial
illegal, according to the Anti-Defamation League.
Dutch Jewish community leader Ronny Naftaniel said the proposed
law could also encounter political obstacles. Since the law isn’t
limited to the Holocaust but includes all genocide as defined by the
International Criminal Court, objections could arise based on other
conflicts, such as the current crisis in Darfur or the past experience
of Armenians in Turkey.
“I can imagine that there will be political difficulties, but maybe
it will get through,” said Naftaniel, director of the Center for
Information and Documentation on Israel.
Even so, he praised the initiative as “a step forward.” He noted that
there has been prosecution of Holocaust denial under the existing
Dutch anti-discrimination laws on the basis that negation of the
Holocausts insults survivors and their children. But he said that
any move to codify the offense was welcome.
“There are fewer and fewer survivors and even their children are not
numerous anymore, and we think it’s important to keep the symbol of
the Holocaust complete and without debate. It should not be dependent
on the survivors and their children,” he said.
The general climate toward Jews worsened starting in 2000, with an
increase in instances of spitting, name-calling and other forms of
abuse, according to Naftaniel. But he said that the attacks – none
of which were violent – had levelled off in the last few years.
Still, ADL associate national director Kenneth Jacobson said “any
kind of effort for a Holocaust denial law is a way of dealing with
the trend that’s developing and to stop it in its tracks.”
He noted, however, that “all the polls indicate the vast majority of
Europeans” are aware that the Holocaust happened.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

MINISTERS DIFFER OVER DEPORTATION DECISION
Reports by David Mugonyi, Jillo Kadida and Michael Mugwang’a
Story By Sunday Nation Team
Daily Nation , Kenya
June 11 2006
The Cabinet appeared split yesterday over the decision by the
Government to deport the two Armenian brothers.
Some ministers criticised the Government for failing to charge Mr
Artur Margaryan and Artur Sargsyan with any crimes.
Two ministers even differed in a public function on the decision to
deport the two and their four associates.
Also joining in the condemnation was the Law Society of Kenya which
said the two brothers should have been charged in a court of law for
assaulting custom officials and sneaking into the country uncustomed
goods.
Defence minister Njenga Karume and his Youth Affairs counterpart
Mohammed Kuti disagreed in public over the handling of the matter.
Mr Karume said the Government was justified to do whatever it felt
was right and did not need to explain its actions to anyone.
“People do not understand that the Government can do anything with
anyone and you do not have to understand,” the minister said when
asked if it was right to deport the two before taking them to court.
Kabete MP Paul Muite said Mr Karume’s comment simply worsens the
situation for the Government.
Dr Kuti said the two brothers, just like any other person living in
Kenya and who commits a crime, should be subject to the country’s law.
“We need to get rid of these two individuals as fast as we can. But
the bottom line is that due process of the law has to be followed,”
said Dr Kuti.
The two ministers were speaking after presiding over the opening
session of The Careers Workshop for secondary school students in Kiambu
district at Kanunga High School in Mr Karume’s Kiambaa constituency.
Planning minister Henry Obwocha said although he had not followed
the incident closely, he believed in the rule of law.
He told the Sunday Nation: “In my view the law should have taken
its course.”
And Local Government minister Musikari Kombo also condemned the action
by the Artur brothers who threatened airport staff.
Mr Kombo said it was sad that foreigners or even Kenyans could go to
the extent of drawing guns on government officers.
Immigration assistant minister Anania Mwaboza laid blame on the Office
of the President.
He said it was the OP which should answer any questions regarding
the presence and activities of the Armenian brothers, including the
breach of security.
Mr Mwaboza also faulted the decision to deport Mr Margaryan and Mr
Sargsyan, saying they should have been subjected to the full force
of law and charged in court with a criminal offence.
But the Kenya Airports Authority declined to comment on why the
foreigners were given unfettered access to any airport in the country.
Personal assistant to KAA managing director George Muhoho, Mr Dominic
Ngige, said the matter was being handled by the police.
Kanu secretary general William Ruto asked Mr Muhoho to explain to
Kenyans where the Artur brothers got the security passes.
Kisumu Town East MP Gor Sunguh asked President Kibaki to resign for
failing to protect Kenyans, including civil servants.
LSK chairman Tom Ojienda said the Government’s deportation the Armenian
brothers at the centre of mercenary claims violates the rule of law.
The law of the country must apply to anyone who commits an offence
unless he or she enjoys diplomatic immunity, he said.
The Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims urged the Government to institute
an urgent public inquiry into the presence and activities of the
brothers.
The council said it was time the Government came clean on the presence
of the two and what connections they had with the top leadership in
the country.
Former Director of Public Prosecution Philip Murgor said the chaos
caused by the two Armenian brothers at the JKIA was a true reflection
that the administration of justice and law enforcement was in the
hands of people who are totally compromised by dubious characters
behind the Armenian saga.
He said the Police Commissioner Major Gen Mohammed Ali, CID boss
Joseph Kamau, Internal Security minister John Michuki and Immigrations
minister Gideon Konchella ought to be sacked for failing to advise
President Kibaki appropriately on the matter.

FOUND: SECRET HOAD OF IDS FOR ARMENIANS
Story By Dominic Wabala
Daily Nation , Kenya
June 11 2006
Dramatic details emerged of the items recovered by police from the
Runda Estate house of the deported Armenian brothers.
Artur Margaryan and Artur Sargasyan had Kenyan passports as well
as appointment cards to the Kenya police force. They were ranked as
Deputy Commissioners of Police.
In addition, they had cards giving them unrestricted access to all
airports in Kenya.
Also found in their house were assault rifles and pistols with serial
numbers indicating they belonged to the presidential security unit.
They also had jackets, caps, boots and face masks similar to those
issued to the police Quick Response Unit.
As police investigations continued, two Tanzanians who had been held
following the early Friday morning raid at the home were also deported,
while a woman identified as Ms Shivana Atarakyia was released after
questioning.
Police were still pursuing leads into where the Armenians had kept
two suitcases they fled with from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport
after defying orders to have them inspected.
The hasty deportation was condemned by Cabinet ministers as details
emerged that a well-connected political activist had attempted to
persuade Police Commissioner Hussein Ali not to carry out the raid.
Other sources said the raid was delayed for about two hours – from
11 pm to 1.30 am – as a senior Cabinet minister tried to persuade
the police chief not to carry it out. Eventually, the police boss
issued the order and the gate was pulled down setting off the search,
arrest and subsequent deportation of the two brothers.
The brothers’ connections to people in government seemed to have
been confirmed beyond doubt with the recovery of certificates of
appointment as deputy commissioners of police, a post equivalent to
that of a provincial police officer.
A certificate issued to one of the brothers bore his photo but with
the names A.M. Johannes.
Another certificate of appointment issued to the brothers had earlier
been confiscated by a senior police officer. Such certificates,
which used to be given to members of the disbanded Police Reserve,
can only be issued with authority of the Commissioner of Police,
a unit commander such as the CID boss, or a provincial police chief
as laid out in the Force rules and regulations.
Two Kenyan passports – number A1031196 bearing the name Darkisyan Artak
and number A0131195 issued to Sarkissyan Arman – were also recovered
at the home. It was not immediately clear how the two could have got
their hands on the two passports which were signed by the principal
immigration officer as is required.
An airport pass – allowing Mr Margaryan full access to all areas of
the airport – was also recovered. Such passes are only issued with
the authority of the Kenya Airports Authority boss, Mr George Muhoho,
or the airport security chief. Such passes are not commonly issued
to non-KAA staff. Not even cabinet ministers have them.
Mr Muhoho was unavailable for comment but his personal assistant,
Mr Dominic Ngige, declined to explain how Mr Margaryan could have
been issued with unlimited access to the airport, saying it was a
matter to be addressed by the police.
The 13 vehicles including Toyota Harriers, a Mercedes Benz, a Subaru
Legacy, a Honda Civic, Mitsubishi Pajero, an assortment of Toyota
saloon cars and a white Volvo, remained in the compound although the
Officer Commanding Gigiri Police Division Patrick Lumumba said their
authenticity would be verified.
A Mercedes Benz with GK plates is suspected to belong to a well
connected political personality.
After conducting a search in the compound and an adjacent empty plot,
police recovered two AK-47 assault rifles with 101 rounds of ammunition
in a magazine specifically for use by the General Service Unit in
banditry and cattle rustling prone areas, and four Ceska automatic
pistols with 146 rounds of ammuntion.
They had serial numbers which closely matched those issued to the
Presidential Escort.
Police conducting the raid were taken aback when they reported their
find to their superiors on open-radio frequencies. Instead, the
policemen were given a tongue lashing when they tried to inform their
bosses of the items they had found at the Runda home. “Why should you
say such things on the radio? Don’t you have a better way of passing
such information?” one officer was reprimanded by a mystery voice.
Twenty-four orange reflective jackets, the same number of face masks
and 18 black caps, all branded with Rapid Response, similar to the
ones used in the Standard/KTN raid, were also recovered, as were two
pairs of jungle boots, three bullet-proof jackets, two combat T-shirts,
four combat jackets, two combat trousers and two scarfs.
The detectives also recovered 16 pairs of number plates including GK,
diplomatic and private motor vehicle registration numbers; three combat
Infra Red cameras, 12 Motorola communication handsets, 11 chargers,
one CCTV monitor, 10 CCTV cameras and two safety jackets.
Three computers similar to those snatched by the QRU officers during
the Standard/KTN raid were also later recovered in a Subaru car parked
in the compound.
And, as the drama of the Arturs and their two deported accomplices,
Mitri Tashci and Alecsandra Pak unfolded, detectives from the
Anti-Motor Vehicle Theft Unit (Flying Squad) and the Special Crime
Prevention Unit continued with investigations and searching the
compound yesterday.

MURDER OF ARMENIAN INVESTIGATED IN MOSCOW
ITAR-TASS News Agency
June 11, 2006 Sunday 08:07 AM EST
The prosecutor’s office of the Moscow northeastern administrative
city district is to bring criminal charges against a driver of the
Noginsk meatpacking factory who shot to death a citizen of Armenia
and injured his compatriot on Saturday.
A police spokesman told Itar-Tass that the driver was detained on
Saturday evening on one of Moscow streets.
During a quarrel with the two Armenians, he fired a handgun shot into
the chest of one, 44, who died on the spot.
He injured with a shot in the chest the other 24-year-old Armenian,
who was taken to a city hospital.
Investigators are examining circumstances of the incident.

WITH ARONIAN LEADING THE WAY, ARMENIA TAKES THE OLYMPIAD
By Robert Byrne
The New York Times
June 11, 2006 Sunday
Late Edition – Final
After capturing third place in the last two Olympiads, Armenia’s men’s
team leapt to victory at this year’s event, held in Turin, Italy,
from May 20 to June 4. The team, which had an undefeated score of
10-3, was heavily reinforced by its new first board, Levon Aronian,
who is now third in the FIDE ratings.
The Soviet Union, and then Russia, won all the Olympiads from 1952
to 2002 except the one in 1976, which it boycotted, and in 1978,
when it lost to Hungary. But this time the Russians were way out of
the running, losing four matches outright.
The Chinese showed off their solid play by taking second place,
although some commentators felt they had benefited from a good helping
of luck. The United States broke a tie for third place with Israel.
In the 11th round, Vlastimil Babula of the Czech Republic, playing
against Karen Asrian of Armenia, thought to free his game early and
headed into what was really a weakened game with great endgame trouble
ahead. He had to skip any thought of conserving his material because
the only way to do that was to enter into a bad endgame, one in which
his opponent would have two bishops and considerable advantage in
space. He tried to defend his knights with his rook, but in the long
run, his remaining knight became completely immobilized.
In the final stages, Babula desperately gave up his knight, but when
he saw that he would have to lose his rook too, he called it quits.
With 5 e6, Black introduced the Scheveningen Variation of the Sicilian
Defense. It was named after the Dutch resort where a prestigious
tournament was held in 1923. Players like Max Euwe helped to establish
it as a solid, reliable defense.
The purpose of 9 Nb3 was to avoid an exchange of knights to keep the
game complicated.
With 9 a6, Black prepared a queenside advance, his standard strategy.
And with 10 a4, White put an obstacle in the way.
With 10 Na5 11 Nd2, Asrian again escaped a knight exchange.
Perhaps, instead of 13 b5, 13 Rfb8 might have been better. Babula
did not spot Asrian’s clever underlying combination.
After 15 Nb5, if 15 Bb5 16 Bb5 Qc2 17 Qb1, Black would save a pawn
but concede a strong bishop pair in the endgame to Asrian.
After 16 Qc1 Qc1 17 Rfc1, the threat was 18 Nc7.
And after 19 Nc4, Asrian’s threat was to win material with 20 Nb6.
After 27 Rd8, the material was still even, but Babula could hardly
move.
And after 43 Rh6, Babula saw that 43 Kf5 44 Nd6 Kf4 45 Rf6 Ke3 46
Nf5 would lose and gave up.

GOP LEADERS BLOCK ARMENIAN GENOCIDE BILL FROM HOUSE FLOOR
by Michael Doyle Bee Washington Bureau
Fresno Bee (California)
June 9, 2006 Friday
Final Edition
Washington
Republican leaders are refusing to allow an Armenian genocide
resolution to reach the House floor, where it almost certainly
would pass.
The Capitol Hill blockade frustrates Armenian-American activists,
including several in the San Joaquin Valley.
“The GOP leadership objections reflect the Bush administration’s
policy of supporting Turkey,” Barlow Der Mugrdechian, lecturer in
Armenian studies at California State University, Fresno, said Thursday.
House “Speaker [Dennis] Hastert’s refusal to schedule a vote is an
affront to supporters of the resolution.”
Without leadership go-ahead, the genocide resolution approved
overwhelmingly 10 months ago by the House International Relations
Committee will remain dormant.
But as House action Thursday showed, Armenia’s congressional allies,
too, will sometimes steer clear of a House fight.
In a telling political decision, lawmakers decided not to press
Thursday for an amendment liked by Armenian-Americans but loathed by
the White House and the Turkish government. Discretion, in this case,
may have been the better part of political valor.
“We’re operating under a tough scenario right now,” said Rep. George
Radanovich, R-Mariposa. “There’s not a lot that’s likely to change
the administration’s mind.”
The latest maneuvering over Armenian politics involves the $21.3
billion foreign operations bill considered Thursday by the House.
Despite its foreign focus, it is a bill that also targets domestic
constituencies.
The bill, for instance, urges the Bush administration to accept
the California State University’s proposal for providing overseas
agricultural training.
The bill likewise promotes the University of California’s affiliation
with the American University of Armenia.
Various politically favored nations are boosted, from more than $2.3
billion in aid provided Israel to a special visa program aiding
Ireland. The targeting helps sustain votes for foreign aid, which
historically can be a hard political sell.
“This is moving forward with strong, bipartisan support,” noted Rep.
David Dreier, R-Covina, chairman of the powerful House Rules Committee.
Armenia fares particularly well.
The bill provides $62 million in economic aid to the country of 2.9
million residents. Though a decrease from last year’s $75 million,
this still is more per person than most any other country. The U.S.
aid amounts to about 20 cents for every Armenian.
For neighboring Mexico, U.S. aid amounts to less than a penny per
resident.
“As long as Armenia suffers from blockades, continued and robust U.S.
assistance will be required,” said Rep. Frank Pallone, D.-N.J. Pallone
is co-chairman of the Congressional Armenian Caucus, which now claims
140 members. For lawmakers from the San Joaquin Valley, home to tens
of thousands of Armenian-Americans, caucus membership is expected.
Democratic Reps. Dennis Cardoza of Merced and Jim Costa of Fresno are
Armenian caucus members, as are Republicans including Radanovich and
Rep. Devin Nunes of Visalia.
Periodically, Armenian caucus members use the foreign aid bill to
chastise Turkey, Armenia’s historical antagonist. A decade ago, for
instance, Radanovich won House approval of an amendment limiting aid
to Turkey unless the country conceded the Armenian population was
the target of genocide between 1915 and 1923.
Congressional negotiators later dropped the provision, as they have
dropped similar provisions in the past.
This history was revived this week, as lawmakers and Armenian-American
organizations weighed whether to bring up another Armenian-related
amendment — for instance, language punitively targeting Turkey’s
lobbying expenditures.
Ultimately, lawmakers and staffers feared they might lose any
strongly worded amendment. They would face opposition both from
Republican leaders and the Bush administration, as well as members
of the powerful House Appropriations Committee, who don’t like their
spending bills tinkered with.
Even if the House passed an amendment, moreover, congressional staffers
calculated it would simply be stripped out in the House and Senate
negotiations, and Radanovich said Republicans didn’t want to put
President Bush in the position of making that call to Congress.
The question — ultimately answered in the negative — then became
whether to pursue a politically difficult vote for the sake of a
short-term symbolic victory.
Elizabeth Chouldjian, spokeswoman for the Armenian National Committee
of America, downplayed the significance of the decision and stressed
that “there are tons of different options” for taking up important
legislation later.
“These efforts are closely watched,” Der Mugrdechian said.
The reporter can be reached at [email protected] or (202)
383-0006.

POMEGRANATE: WINE TASTES JUST LIKE ITS FRUITY COLOR
By Peggy Grodinsky, Staff
The Houston Chronicle
June 7, 2006 Wednesday
2 Star Edition
Wine lovers occasionally use the term “pomegranate” to describe the
flavor or color of red wines. Now there’s a wine that’s actually
made from the fruit. You can find a bottle for $9 at Central Market,
where a shelf label touts its antioxidant benefits. Add to that
the much ballyhooed claims that red wine is good for you (now being
re-examined), and you’ve got “double bang for your buck,” says the
store’s wine and beer manager, Martin Korson.
The wine, from Armenia, is sweet, fruity and pleasant, perfect for
a novice drinker. “I like this in a wine-cooler, back-in-high-school
kind of way,” one taster commented. Chronicle wine guru Mike Lonsford
suggested pairing it with smoked turkey and cranberry sauce – or
using it in a wine spritzer. “Well-chilled,” he added.

WHY DID A-320 CRASH: G. YEGHIAZARYAN VERDICTS
Panorama.am
16:24 10/06/06
Speaking on A-320 airliner’s crash near Sochi on May 3, former
deputy Gurgen Yeghiazaryan said that one of the possible reasons
was insecurity of the airliner and another reason may have served
Armavia’s financial situation. “Our planes should have the best ever
security service in the world because we sell the tickets at the
highest possible price,” he said. “If you sell the most expensive
tickets and fill in the most expensive fuel – TS 1, then you must
have the best conditions for the passengers. However, we all know
what food is served on board and what is the level of service. By
saying financial situation I mean fuel,” he said. In the words of the
former deputy, fuel is very expensive in Yerevan whereas in Sochi it
may be purchased 20-25% down the price. So, there is a temptation to
buy cheap fuel there.
He said that Sochi airport is one of the best in terms of security
as Russian president Putin arrives there at least twice in a
year. G. Yeghiazaryan also thinks that the pilot was experienced
enough and the crash could not happen because of his professional
fault.

DO RUSSIAN CITIZENS INHABIT SOUTH OSETIA?
Panorama.am
15:54 10/06/06
“We should think of every Armenian living in Akhalkalak and Akhaltskha
now,” Gurgen Yeghiazaryan, former deputy and former deputy head of
national security service says. He messaged his concern that soon
the Georgian authorities will populate Javakhk, where less and less
Armenians are left, with Turk-Mskhetsis and our northern rout will
stay without Armenian residential areas.
He thinks it normal the recent developments with Russian-Georgian
relations, saying that each country should do what is more
expedient. “If you do not want my Russian basis in your country, I will
not want your wine to be sold on my territory.” He also thinks that
Russia may recognize the independence of South Ossia since “99.9 %
of the residents in Ossia have become Russian citizens. Tomorrow,
Russia may say that it is defending the interests of its
co-citizens.”

WHEN WILL “CALVES” GET UP?
Panorama.am
15:22 10/06/06
Gurgen Yeghiazaryan, former head of national security state department
is ready to cooperate with all forces that are against Robert Kocharian
and his administration.
Yeghiazaryan said he may cooperate even with the Republicans if they
act against Kocharyan. The only person that Yeghiazaryan will never
cooperate with is defense minister Serze Sargsyan “because the two
are the same person,” he said.
G. Yeghiazaryan said that Armenia is an amazing country. It is only
here that gold is not profitable.
It is only here that the whole energy system is given to another
country and it is only here that the authorities steal the work of
our nationals working abroad by artificially devaluating dollar. “We
listen and stand all this like calves,” he said hoping that “the calf
will get up one day.”