OVER 200 MEMBERS OF CONGRESS URGE U.S. PRESIDENT TO PROPERLY
CHARACTERIZE THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
WASHINGTON, APRIL 21, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Two hundred and
eight U.S. legislators called on President Bush on April 20 to
reaffirm the U.S. record on the Armenian Genocide, reported the
Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA). In separate letters,
178 Representatives and 30 Senators specifically asked the President
to properly characterize the atrocities as “genocide,” in his annual
April 24th remarks. In February of 2000, during Michigan’s hotly
contested Republican primary, then Governor Bush promised to properly
recognize the Armenian Genocide if elected president. Since taking
office in 2001, the President has retreated from this pledge, issuing
a succession of April 24th statements that use evasive and euphemistic
terminology to diminish the full historical, moral, and contemporary
legal implications of Ottoman Turkey’s genocide against the Armenian
nation. The House letter, organized by Congressional Armenian Caucus
Co-Chairmen Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and Joe Knollenberg (R-MI), stressed
that, “the United States must never allow crimes against humanity to
pass without remembrance and condemnation. As U.S. efforts to aid
victims of genocide continue, it is imperative that we pay tribute to
the memory of others who have suffered and never forget the past. By
commemorating the Armenian Genocide, we renew our commitment to
prevent future atrocities and therefore negate the dictum that history
is condemned to repeat itself.” The Senate letter, led by Senators
John Ensign (R-NV) and Richard Durbin (D-IL), noted that, “The memory
of the Armenian Genocide underscores our responsibility to speak
forcefully about our respect for fundamental human rights and
opposition to mass slaughters. It is in the best interests of our
nation and the entire global community to remember the past and learn
from these crimes against humanity to ensure that they are never
repeated. We respectfully request that you refer to the mass slaughter
of Armenians as genocide in your commemorative statement.” “The
Armenian Genocide is incontrovertible, of which the U.S. Archives is
replete with thousands of pages documenting this horrific crime,” said
Co-Chairmen Joe Knollenberg and Frank Pallone. “The President has
employed a textbook definition of genocide to describe the events that
occurred from 1915-1923, but a full and irrevocable U.S. affirmation
of the Armenian Genocide is necessary to prevent such crimes from
happening in the future.” “We are very gratified by the strong,
bipartisan message from Congress encouraging the President to properly
recognize the Armenian Genocide in his April 24th remarks,” said Aram
Hamparian, Executive Director of the ANCA. “We join with our
Congressional friends – most notably Senators John Ensign and Dick
Durbin and Armenian Caucus Co-Chairs Frank Pallone and Joe Knollenberg
– in calling for moral clarity in our nation’s response to genocide.”
Members of Congress joining Reps. Pallone and Knollenberg in co-
signing the letter included: Neil Abercrombie (D-HI), Gary Ackerman
(D-NY), Tom Allen (D-ME), Robert Andrews (D-NJ), Joe Baca (D-CA),
Brian Baird (D-WA), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Gresham Barrett (R-SC),
Charles Bass (R-NH), Melissa Bean (D-IL), Bob Beauprez (R- CO), Xavier
Becerra (D-CA), Shelley Berkley (D-NV), Howard Berman (D-CA), Michael
Bilirakis (R-FL), Tim Bishop (D-NY), Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), Sherwood
Boehlert (R-NY), Mary Bono (R-CA), Jeb Bradley (R-NH), Sherrod Brown
(D-OH), Ken Calvert (R-CA), Dave Camp (R-MI), Lois Capps (D-CA),
Michael Capuano (D-MA), Benjamin Cardin (D-MD), Dennis Cardoza (D-CA),
William Clay (D-MO), Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO), John Conyers (D-MI), Jim
Costa (D-CA), Jerry Costello (D- IL), Joseph Crowley (D-NY), Danny
Davis (D-IL), Susan Davis (D-CA), Peter DeFazio (D-OR), Diana DeGette
(D-CO), William Delahunt (D- MA), Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), Charles Dent
(R-PA), Lincoln Diaz-Balart (R-FL), John Dingell (D-MI), Lloyd Doggett
(D-TX), John Doolittle (R-CA), Mike Doyle (D-PA), David Dreier (R-CA),
Vernon Ehlers (R-MI), Eliot Engel (D-NY), Anna Eshoo (D-CA), Lane
Evans (D-IL), Chaka Fattah (D-PA), Mike Ferguson (R-NJ), Bob Filner
(D-CA), Mike Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Mark Foley (R-FL), Vito Fossella
(R-NY), Barney Frank (D-MA), Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-NJ), Scott
Garrett (R-NJ), Jim Gibbons (R-NV), Charlie Gonzalez (D-TX), Al Green
(D-TX), Gene Green (D-TX), Mark Green (R-WI), Raul Grijalva (D-AZ),
Luis Gutierrez (D-IL), Stephanie Herseth (D-SD), Maurice Hinchey
(D-NY), Peter Hoekstra (R-MI), Rush Holt (D-NJ), Michael Honda (D-CA),
Steny Hoyer (D-MD), Steve Israel (D-NY), Darrell Issa (R-CA), Jesse
Jackson (D-IL), Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX), Nancy Johnson (R-CT), Marcy
Kaptur (D-OH), Sue Kelly (R-NY), Mark Kennedy (R-MN), Patrick Kennedy
(D-RI), Dale Kildee (D-MI), Mark Kirk (R-IL), Dennis Kucinich (D-OH),
John R. Randy, Jr. Kuhl (R-NY), James Langevin (D- RI), John Larson
(D-CT), Barbara Lee (D-CA), Sander Levin (D-MI), John Lewis (D-GA),
Daniel Lipinski (D-IL), Frank LoBiondo (R-NJ), Zoe Lofgren (D-CA),
Nita Lowey (D-NY), Dan Lungren (R-CA), Stephen Lynch (D-MA), Carolyn
Maloney (D-NY), Edward Markey (D-MA), Doris Matsui (D-CA), Carolyn
McCarthy (D-NY), Betty McCollum (D-MN), Thaddeus McCotter (R-MI), Jim
McDermott (D-WA), James McGovern (D- MA), John McHugh (R-NY), Buck
McKeon (R-CA), Cynthia McKinney (D- GA), Cathy McMorris (R-WA),
Michael McNulty (D-NY), Martin Meehan (D-MA), Michael Michaud (D-ME),
Juanita Millender-McDonald (D-CA), Candice Miller (R-MI), Gwen Moore
(D-WI), James Moran (D-VA), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Marilyn Musgrave
(R-CO), Grace Napolitano (D-CA), Richard Neal (D-MA), Eleanor Holmes
Norton (D-DC), Devin Nunes (R- CA), John Olver (D-MA), C. L. Butch
Otter (R-ID), William Pascrell (D-NJ), Donald Payne (D-NJ), Nancy
Pelosi (D-CA), Collin Peterson (D-MN), Richard Pombo (R-CA), Jon
Porter (R-NV), George Radanovich (R-CA), Charles Rangel (D-NY), Mike
Rogers (R-MI), Mike Ross (D- AR), Steven Rothman (D-NJ), Lucille
Roybal-Allard (D-CA), Edward Royce (R-CA), Bobby Rush (D-IL), Paul
Ryan (R-WI), John Salazar (D- CO), Linda Sanchez (D-CA), Loretta
Sanchez (D-CA), Bernard Sanders I VT), H. James Saxton (R-NJ), Janice
Schakowsky (D-IL), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Allyson Schwartz (D-PA), Joe
Schwarz (R-MI), David Scott (D-GA), E. Clay Shaw (R-FL), Christopher
Shays (R-CT), Brad Sherman (D-CA), John Shimkus (R-IL), Rob Simmons
(R-CT), Christopher Smith (R-NJ), Hilda Solis (D-CA), Mark Souder
(R-IN), Pete Stark (D-CA), Ted Strickland (D-OH), John Sweeney (R-NY),
Ellen Tauscher (D-CA), Mike Thompson (D-CA), John Tierney (D-MA),
Edolphus Towns (D-NY), Mark Udall (D-CO), Christopher Van Hollen
(D-MD), Peter Visclosky (D-IN), Maxine Waters (D-CA), Diane Watson
(D-CA), Henry Waxman (D-CA), Anthony Weiner (D-NY), Curt Weldon (R-
PA), Dave Weldon (R-FL), Gerald Weller (R-IL), Joe Wilson (R-SC),
Frank Wolf (R-VA), and Lynn Woolsey (D-CA). Senators cosigning the
letter to President Bush along with Senators Ensign and Durbin were:
Daniel Akaka (D-HI), Wayne Allard (R-CO), George Allen (R-VA), Barbara
Boxer (D-CA) , Lincoln Chafee (R-RI), Hillary Clinton (D-NY), Norm
Coleman (R-MN), Susan Collins (R-ME), Elizabeth Dole (R-NC), Russ
Feingold (D-WI), Dianne Feinstein (D- CA), Tim Johnson (D-SD), Edward
Kennedy (D-MA), John Kerry (D-MA), Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ), Carl Levin
(D-MI), Joseph Lieberman (D- CT), Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), Barak Obama
(D-IL), Jack Reed (D-RI), Harry Reid (D-NV), Ken Salazar (D-CO), Rick
Santorum (R-PA), Paul Sarbanes (D-MD), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Olympia
Snowe (R-ME), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), and John Sununu (R-NH).

From: [email protected]
Subject: Authorities and Public of Slavyansk-On-Kuban Against Turkey in EU
AUTHORITIES AND PUBLIC OF SLAVYANSK-ON-KUBAN AGAINST TURKEY ENTERING
EUROPEAN UNION
KRASNODAR, APRIL 21, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The “round table”
of the public-political organization of the city of
Slavyansk-on-Kuban, dedicated to the 91st anniversary of the Armenian
Genocide in the Ottaman Turkey, took place on April 19 in the Slavonic
State Pedagogical Institute. Sergey Shishkaryov, a Deputy of the State
Duma of the Russian Federation (“Yedinaya Rossia” (United Russia)
faction) made the welcome speech to the participants of the “round
table.” According to the “Yerkramas” (country) newspaper of the
Armenians of Russia, during the “round table” in which representatives
of the administration and public-political organizations of
Slavyansk-on-Kuban and the Slavonic region, the following questions
were discussed: the Armenian Genocide as a crime against the humanity
and mankind; international recognition of the fact of the Armenian
Genocide and legal responsibility of Turkey; official recognition of
Turkey itself and its condemnation of that crime; ideology of
Panturkism as a real threat for Europe and the world; ways of just
liquidation of consequences of the Armenian Genocide; solution of the
Hay Dat (Armenian cause) based on the international law. The film “I
Accuse” prepared by the “Yerkir-Media” (Armenia) TV company was shown
to the participants of the event. Tatyana Kovalyova, the deputy head
of Slavyansk-on-Kuban addressed to the participants of the “round
table” on behalf of the city administration. On the initiative of the
city authorities, “Memory Hour” will be held on April 24 in schools of
Slavyansk-on-Kuban. It will be dedicated to the tragic date and the
film “I Accuse” and a reporting about holding the “round table” will
be broadcast by the local television. A resolution was held according
to results of the “round table”, in which it is particularly said:
“Participants of the April 19, 2006, “round table” of the public of
the city of Slavyansk-on-Kuban of the region of Krasnodar, based on
irrefutable historic facts, proving massacres of Armenians in the
territory of Western Armenia in 1915-1922…, mentioning that the
physical annihilation of the Armenian people in its historic
Fatherland was implemented with the goals of fulfilling Panturkist
ideas about creation of the Great Turan in the territory of Middle
Asia to Balkans, involving Povolzhye, Urals, Crimea, Southern and
Northern Caucasus, condemn organizers of annihilations of Armenians in
1915-1922, express their symphathy to the Armenian people and consider
April 24 as the Day of Memory of the Armenian Genocide victims.
Participants of the “round table” of the public of Slavyansk-on-Kuban
of the region of Krasnodar consider impossible Turkey’s entering the
European family of peoples, until the crime conducted by the
authorities of Turkey in 1915 against the native Armenian
inhabitation, will not be recognized and condemned by the heads of
present Turkey, and call on the authorities of the European states to
call on the authorities of Turkey to recognize the Armenian Genocide.”
Vladimir Goncharov, the administration head of the Slavonic region,
the Secretary of the Political Council of the “Yedinaya Rossia” party
of the Slavonic region, Ataman of Cossacks’ army of the Slavonic
region; Tatyana Kovalyova, the Slavyansk-on-Kuban deputy head of
municipal education; Yuri Bobirenko, the Chairman of the War and Labor
Veterans’ Council of the Slavonic region; Anaida Meltonian, the
Chairwoman of the “Meridian” international friendship club; Tigran
Tavadian, the editor-in-chief of the “Yerkramas” newspaper of
Armenians of Russia; Vyacheslav Nikoev, the Chairman of the Armenian
Culture Association of the Slavonic region; Mikhail Kuzub, the Deputy
Chairman of the Scientific Information-Cultural Center “Hamshen”,
Eduard Pogosov, a Honourary Member of the “Luys” Armenian Culture
Association of the city of Novorosiysk, others signed the resolution.

EVENTS DEDICATED TO 91st ANNIVERSARY OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE HELD IN
ROMANIA
BUCHAREST, APRIL 21, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Various events to
commemorate the 91st anniversary of the Armenian Genocide are being
held in Romania. The presentation of the book “History of a Geocide
Passed by in Long Silence” of Romanian Armenian author Sergio Selian
(the book was published in Romanian by the Ararat publishing house of
the Armenian Union of Romania) took place in the Union of Writers of
Romania on April 19. Varizhan Oskanian, member of the Romanian Senate,
Chairman of the Standing Financial and Bedgetary Commission, Eghishe
Sargsian, the Armenian Ambassador to Romania, and Mikael Gazazian,
editor of the newspaper “Ararat” of the Armenian Union of Romania,
made speeches on the Armenian Genocide at the event. According to the
RA MFA Press and Information Department, Atom Egoyan’s film “Ararat”
was demonstrated in Bucharest and Constantsa, as well as a photo
exhibition dedicated to the Armenian Genocide was organized, during
which speeches were delivered by a number of high-ranking Romanian
officials, particularly by Danut Kuletu, Governor of Constantsa, as
well as by the Armenian Ambassador Eghishe Sargsian, Head of the
Romanian Armenian diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church Archbishop
Tirayr Martikian and others.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

BOSTON NEWSPAPERS WRITE ABOUT ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
BOSTON, APRIL 21, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. According to the
paper “Boston Glob”, US politicians and orgnizations representing
various communities are joining American Armenians in their struggle
for the history of the Armenian Genocide to be taught at general
education schools of the US. The Boston court is examining a case
brought by a Massachusetts school teacher and pupil, and by a Turkish
organization that demand that the Turkish point of view on the
Armenian Genocide be also included in history books. According to the
paper, the Armenian organizations of the state of Massachusetts are
going to stage a protest outside the Boston court on April 21 with
participation of representatives of the local Jewish and Dutch
communities, Massachusetts prosecutor general and deputy governor,
both of them running for the post of governor. Radio Liberty reported
that the “Boston Herald” also recently addressed the issue of the
Armenian Genocide by citing an opinion expressed by Helen Fain, an
expert of Harvard Insitute for Genocide Studies. According to her, it
was a genocide by all criteria, and it is even offensive and funny to
argue with its deniers.

SAAKASHVILI PAYS SHORT-TERM VISIT TO JAVAKHK
AKHALKALAK, APRIL 21, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. President of
Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili with his wife Sandra Rulofs paid a short
visit to Javakhk on April 19. According to the “A-Info” agency,
immediatly after arriving in Akhalkalak from Tbilisi by the
helicopter, the President was first of all present at the solemn
ceremony of starting the construction of the Aspindza-Akhalkalak road,
within the framework of the “Millennium Challenge” program. The
President also arrived in the village of Gandza, the region of
Ninotsminda. He presented here gifts to children of the secondary
school after Vahan Terian, restored on his own initiative. After
staying in Gandza for a very short time, the President’s helicopter
left for Ajaria.

From: [email protected]
Subject: Lyon Monument to The Genocide Restored and Under Strict Control
LYON MONUMENT TO ARMENIAN GENOCIDE VICTIMS BROUGHT TO FORMER
APPEARANCE AND TAKEN UNDER STRICT CONTROL
LYON, APRIL 21, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Turkish and French
notes left by unknown evil-doers on the monument to the Armenian
Genocide victims erected in the French city of Lyon have already been
cleaned, and the monument was brought to its former appearance. The
Istanbul “Marmara” daily informs about this, quoting the information
of the Turkish “Huriet” newspaper. Distortion of the monument caused
indignation not only within the Armenian but the French official
cirles as well, and the authorities decided to take the monument under
control. Armenians of Lyon formed groups for guarding the monument and
will keep the monument under 24-hours control. Besides, the Lyon Mayor
Office instructed four policemen two of who must guard the inner
parts, other two must guard the outer parts of the monument. The city
authorities also placed video cameras owing to which the territory
will always be under control. Nicolas Sarkozy, the Minister of
Interior of France, condemned the attack towards the Armenian monument
and said that similar assaults are inadmissible. He emphasized that
the criminals must probably be found out and punished. Such attacks
means usage of the policy of hatred and refusal, Sarkozy
said. Respoding the question relating to the resolution on the
Armenian Genocide, the Minister stated that France supports
Armenians. To recap, the monument to the Armenian Genocide victims
will officially open on April 24.

“THERE IS NO EXAMPLE OF GENOCIDE IN OUR HISTORY WHAT I’M PROUD OF,”
PERSIAN DEPUTY EMPHASIZES AT EVENT DEDICATED TO 91ST ANNIVERSARY OF
ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
TEHRAN, APRIL 21, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. An event dedicated to
the 91st anniversary of the Armenian Genocide took place on April 18
in Tehran, on the initiative of the Armenian Issues’ Research Center
(AIRC, Hay Dat Committee of Tehran). Archbishop Sepuh Sargsian, the
primate of the Armenian diocese of Tehran, two dozens of deputies of
the Islamic Parliament and representatives of deputies’ offices,
officials of the ministries of interior, education and bringing up,
Islamic culture and leadership, representatives of the Deputies’
Assembly of the Armenian diocese of Tehran, of the Diocesan Council
and Armenian cultural unions of Tehran, Persian intellectuals,
journalists and inspectors of Armenians schools participated in the
event. According to the “Alik” daily of Tehran, Gevik Mkrtchian, the
AIRC Chairman emphasized that many international circles and even Turk
intellectuals recognized the Genocide, but the Government of Turkey
has not refused yet its betrayal policy, and followers of the people
implementing the Genocide, started cultural massacre today. Then
Robert Beglarian, the Deputy of the South Iranian Armenians of the
Islamic Parliament invited the speaker of the day, Doctor Emad Afrugh,
the Chairman of the Cultural Committee of the Islamic Parliament,
Deputy from Tehran, to make a speech. The Persian Deputy emphasized
that though some historians do not call those crimes a genocide and
consider it to have been a compulsory migration, but the fact remains
a fact that such a case had taken place, it is a reality but not an
illusion. Doctor Afrugh added that though some of the people having
implemented the crime were once punished, but they did not get a
worthy punishment, until Armenians themselves subjected them to death
in different places. Doctor Afrugh called on the present authorities
of Turkey: “Let them make researches, let scientific researchers be
given necessary documents and be as brave as to congess that you had
made a mistakve and to correct the past if any deliberate crime has
been implemented.” He also attached importance to the dialogue of
religions and civilizations and emphasized: “We have no difficulties
with Christians: there is no example of genocides in our history what
I’m proud of.” Archbishop Sepuh Sargsian, the primate of the Armenian
Diocese of Tehran also sent his commandment during the event. He
particularly, said: “The human history showed that one may not falsify
or renounce the truth. Today, in the light century, nobody may build
the history on a falsification. The Armenian Genocide is a historical
reality, reality affirmed by representatives of the modern Turkish
authorities themselves and by political, church and intellectual
representatives of the western world. So, our expectation from today’s
Turkey is to have courage to recognize that crime of its fathers.”
Robert Beglarian touched upon in his speech a number of circumstances:
first, that the Armenian Genocide was not implemented only in 1915,
but has started since 1896, second, it’s a genocide as it has been
implemented towards a people in its own historic country, and Turkey
does not recognize it as legal responsibility will aslo arise of that
recognition. He cited from the “Iran, Ayatollah Khpmeyn’s Epoch” book
written by Nikolay Hovhannissian and published in Armenia: “Late Imam
attached importance to the role and place occupied by the Armenians of
Iran in different spheres and emphasized that “we are perfectly aware
of the Armenian Genocide, condemn it, and neither Iran is a similar
country not Iranians are a similar people for such a case happens in
Iran.” At the end of the event Deputy Emad Afrugh was presented a
souvenir, then a reception took place during which the Persian deputy
mentioned that it will become a start for his future researches.
During the event documentary video films about the Armenian Genocide
and presenting the Azerbaijani vandalism against the Armenian
monuments in Old Jugha were shown, and the “Zvartnots” choir had a
performance during the artistic part of the event.

AKHALKALAK MAYOR PROHIBITS SPREADING OF BOOKLETS WITH FALSE
INFORMATION CONCERNING CITY
AKHALKALAK, APRIL 21, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. By financing of
the UN Development Program and the Urban Institute, within the
framework of the “Society’s Participation in Local Self-Government”
program, a booklet is translated in the Georgian, English and Russian
languages about the city of Akhalkalak, what caused indignation of the
main inhabitation of Akhalkalak, Armenians. According to the “A-Info”
agency, the plan of the city of Akhalkalak and information about
Akhalkalak are published in the booklet. The main reason for
displeasure is wrong information concerning history of the city.
Akhalkalak Mayor Nairi Iritsian expressed displeasure to the people
implementing the program also for not publishing Armenian copies of
the booklet. Iritsian warned that booklets will not be given to people
in Akhalkalak as they have no connection with the society’s
participation in the local self-government because of their being not
in the Armenian language and involving false facts.

AKHALKALAK BRANCH OF TBILISI STATE UNIVERSITY TO PASS PROCESS OF
ACCREDITATION
AKHALKALAK, APRIL 21, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The Akhalkalak
branch of the Tbilisi State University will pass a process of
accreditation soon. According to Roin Ghavrelishvili, the Director of
the branch, the branch is not able today to satisfy claims laid by the
state. But he hopes that as to a newly founded institution of higher
education, the branch will not be laid claims, and it will continue to
function. The “A-Info” agency reminds that the Akhalkalak branch of
the Tbilisi State University has been founded in 2002 and has about
450 students today. In spite of the statement made by the Government
at the moment of founding, that mainly or exclusively young people
from Javakhk will study here, today the most part of students of the
university are Georgian young people who have come from different
regions of Georgia. It is enough to mention that only 4 young people
from Javakhk entered the university in 2005, two of who are Armenians,
two are Georgians.

16 CASINOS AND 48 PRIZE GAMES OPERATE IN ARMENIA
YEREVAN, APRIL 21, NOYAN TAPAN. By the end of the first quarter of
2006, licences of 16 casinos and 48 prize games were valid in
Armenia. NT was informed at the RA Ministry of Finance and Economy
that in early 2006, licences of 18 casinos and 51 prize games were
valid in the country. According to the same source, licences of one
casino and two prize games were granted in March, while licences of
two casinos and three prize games were recognized invalid. It was
noted that three licences for lottery running are valid in Armenia.