Armenian National Committee of America
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E-mail: [email protected]
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PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 11, 2006
Contact: Elizabeth S. Chouldjian
Tel: (202) 775-1918
SEN. FEINGOLD ADDS VOICE TO GROWING CONGRESSIONAL CALLS FOR ANSWERS
ON AMB. EVANS FIRING
“I remain concerned that the conditions under which his
nomination is taking place – the firing of the previous U.S.
Ambassador to Armenia for apparently speaking honestly about
the Armenian genocide — represents a larger Administrative
effort to silence U.S. officials who acknowledge that acts of
genocide were committed against the Armenians.”
– Sen. Russell Feingold (D-WI)
WASHINGTON, DC – Concerns continued to grow this week regarding the
circumstances surrounding the firing of U.S. Ambassador to Armenia
John Marshall Evans, as Sen. Russell Feingold (D-WI) becomes the
ninth member of the influential Senate Foreign Relations Committee
to call for clarification of the State Department policy on the
Armenian Genocide, reported the Armenian National Committee of
America (ANCA.)
In a written statement submitted as part of the Senate Foreign
Relations Committee hearing on Ambassador Designate to Armenia
Richard Hoagland, Sen. Feingold noted that, “I want to express my
deep concern about the Administration’s reluctance to acknowledge
the acts of genocide that were committed against the Armenians
almost a century ago. The Administration’s continued failure to
recognize these tragic events is troubling to me and to those who
share my belief that we should speak honestly about, and insist on
accountability for, past crimes against humanity and genocide.”
Amongst specific questions to the Ambassador Designate, Sen.
Feingold asked:
Why was Ambassador Evans removed as Ambassador to Armenia?
What is the Administration’s policy towards acknowledging
the Armenian genocide and what boundaries have been set for
your position as Ambassador to address or speak about the
Armenian genocide?
Do you anticipate that the departure of your predecessor,
Mr. Evans, will harm U.S.-Armenian relations? How do you
plan to respond to those in the Armenian community who are
upset about his departure?
Sen. Feingold’s concerns are shared by half of the influential
Senate Foreign Relations Committee members – including Senators
George Allen (R-VA), Ranking Democrat Joe Biden (D-DE), Barbara
Boxer (D-CA), Lincoln Chafee (R-RI), Norm Coleman (R-MN),
Christopher Dodd (D-CT), John Kerry (D-MA) and Paul Sarbanes (D-MD)
– who must first approve Amb. Evans’ replacement prior to a full
Senate confirmation. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee
delayed action on Ambassador Designate Hoagland, while quickly
voting for the incoming Ambassadors to Switzerland and Ireland, who
were before the Committee the same day as Ambassador Designate
Hoagland.
During the June 28th nomination hearing, Sen. George Allen (R-VA),
Sen. Norm Coleman (R-MN), and Sen. Paul Sarbanes (D-MD) pressed the
nominee for an explanation of the State Department’s guidance
regarding the use of the word “genocide” to properly characterize
this crime against humanity. Senators Allen and Coleman peppered
the nominee with numerous questions and expressed frustration as
the Ambassador-Designate avoided giving direct answers to any of
the questions, resorting to the use of euphemisms.
In addition, Representatives George Radanovich (R-CA), Frank
Pallone (D-NJ), Joe Knollenberg (R-MI), and Adam Schiff (D-CA) have
urged Secretary Rice to reconsider the decision to recall Amb.
Evans. Over the past several months, scores of Senate and House
Members have directed questions to State Department officials,
calling for answers surrounding the controversial firing of Amb.
Evans, including 60 Representatives who joined Rep. Edward Markey
(D-MA) in a letter to Secretary Rice, Rep. Grace Napolitano (D-CA)
who submitted questions to Assistant Secretary of State Dan Fried,
and Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) who submitted questions to Secretary
Rice. Massachusetts Senators Ted Kennedy and John Kerry also asked
Secretary Rice for clarification on Amb. Evans’ dismissal. The
Administration has either failed to provide responses or provided
responses, which have been largely perfunctory, citing that
Ambassadors serve at the pleasure of the President, but giving no
clear insight into the State Department’s decision to dismiss the
career diplomat after 35 years of distinguished service.
The State Department, with the blessing of the White House, fired
Amb. Evans in response to his February 2005 statements before
American audiences in the United States, during which he properly
characterized the Armenian Genocide as “genocide.” Following his
statements, Amb. Evans was forced to issue a statement clarifying
that his references to the Armenian Genocide were his personal
views and did not represent a change in U.S. policy. He
subsequently issued a correction to this statement, replacing a
reference to the genocide with the word “tragedy.” The American
Foreign Service Association, which had decided to honor Amb. Evans
with the “Christian A. Herter Award,” recognizing creative thinking
and intellectual courage within the Foreign Service, reportedly
rescinded the award following pressure from the State Department in
the days leading up to Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
Erdogan’s visit to Washington, DC to meet with President Bush.
#####
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Artur hit KRA man, inquiry told
Story by LUCAS BARASA and MUGUMO MUNENE
Publication Date: 7/12/2006
The Nation, Kenya
July 11 2006
One of the Artur brothers punched a bewildered Customs official
and drew two guns to scare a surging crowd at the Jomo Kenyatta
International Airport.
They vowed not to pay duty on closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras
their associates had imported, insulted Customs officials and members
of the public and then forced their way out of the airport.
Once on the road, they put on the sirens on their vehicles to clear
other motorists off the way.
The details of the stand-off with the Customs official, which minutes
later degenerated into gun drama reeled off at the inquiry yesterday,
as officials from the Kenya Revenue Authority took to the witness
stand to tell their recollection of the fateful June 8 evening.
Assisting counsel Dorcus Oduor confers with lawyer Philip Murgor
after the Kiruki commission of inquiry adjourned its sitting at the
KICC in Nairobi yesterday. Photo/Fredrick Omond
It is that drama that culminated in the deportation of the Artur
brothers, and ultimately led to the inquiry.
Grab a badge
A Customs department’s revenue officer, Mr Nelson Ochieng’, told the
commissioners that Mr Artur Margaryan attempted to grab a badge from
a senior officer only named Mr Nambale, touching off the commotion.
At one point, Mr Margaryan threatened to shoot Mr Nambale and destroy
everything in his office if the goods were not released and the guests
left to go, the commission investigating the Armenians’ activities
was told.
The stand-off started when Customs officers asked Mr Margaryan to pay
duty on cameras, whose value they gave as $550 (about Sh40,700). But
they refused.
As Mr Nambale, assisted by Mr Ochieng’ wrestled back the badge from
Mr Margaryan, the Armenian delivered a punch before letting go of the
badge and taking off from the baggage hall exit towards the parking
lot. According to the witness, Mr Margaryan whipped out the two
pistols about two steps away from the baggage hall exit. The brothers,
Mr Ochieng’ added, did not pay duty for the CCTV and other equipment
tabled as evidence before the Commission following a disagreement
with Customs officials.
And a public relations officer working with the Airport Taxi Operators
Association, Ms Teresa Wangui Ndegwa, and whose work station is within
the baggage hall, told the commission that Mr Margaryan had prior to
the commotion made frantic calls on his cell phone.
“My lords, I heard Mr Margaryan speak into his cell phone and say:
‘I’m not going to pay anything. As the commotion ensued, I left my
desk and exited the baggage hall through the staff gate towards the
parking lot. At the parking lot, one of the Artur brothers drew a gun
at the crowd and said: ‘Stupid Africans! The one who wants to fight
can step forward,'” Ms Ndegwa testified.
Mr Ochieng’, the commission’s 20th witness, told of how Mr Margaryan
abused customs officials calling them “Monkeys!” and “You Africans!”
as the rumpus unfolded.
Mr Ochieng’ who has worked at JKIA for 15 years said he reported to
work at 6.30pm on June 8, when Foreign Affairs protocol officer Paul
Latoya accompanied by two duty free supervisors presented a piece of
luggage for clearance.
However, Mr Ochieng’ insisted on seeing the owners of the black
suitcase and two brown bags and demanded that they produce their
passports.
“They were trying to clear the goods without the owners, but I refused
because I wanted to verify if the owner of the luggage was the owner
of the passport as required,” Mr Ochieng’ said.
Mr Latoya, the witness said, went and brought one of the Artur brothers
and two others, including a lady, but they declined to have their
luggage opened and said they were “investors of big things and these
are small things.”
When the luggage was later opened, it was found to contain seven CCTV
cameras, receivers and cables the passengers said were worth a total
of US$550 (about Sh40,700).
And when asked to produce invoices for the goods, the passengers,
Mr Ochieng’ said, became unruly and “used nasty words”.
Mr Ochieng’ said he consulted his boss, a Mr Nambale, who ordered
that the goods be detained until payment of duty, which stood at
about Sh23,000.
Mr Margaryan and his bodyguard, the Commission heard, joined them
as they were discussing payment of duty and asked: “Are you the chap
calling us?”
He then instructed his bodyguard to load the goods onto a trolley,
which was pushed outside the baggage with Mr Nambale and other customs
official in hot pursuit.
A policeman in civilian and Mr Ochieng’, however, came to Mr Nambale’s
rescue and managed to repossess the pass.
Mr Ochieng’ said a huge crowd, which was waiting for passengers,
started shouting as Mr Margaryan left, before he drew two guns from
his pocket “and people got scared.”
Mr Ochieng’ said Mr Nambale informed KRA assistant commissioner, Ms
Florence Otori, of the incident who later held a meeting with Trade
and Industry minister Dr Mukhisa Kituyi at the airport.
Chairman Shedrach Kiruki said it was the first time the inquiry had
received evidence that Mr Margaryan whipped out two guns on that
fateful evening.
Lawyer Gibson Kamau Kuria appearing for Ms Winnie Wangui made spirited
attempts in cross-examination to show that the Artur brothers only
acted the way they did in self-defence from a hostile crowd.
The witness denied Dr Kuria’s assertion that he bragged “kumuonyesha
(to teach a lesson)” Mr Margaryan because he (Mr Ochieng’) was a Luo.
He performed his duties as required by KRA and not “as a Luo… or
any other tribe,” he said.
Mr Ochieng’, who looked exhausted, could not properly pin-point Mr
Margaryan and Mr Sargsyan in copies of their photographs and airport
passes tabled before the commission.
“I can’t remember because (photographs) in the airport passes look
different,” Mr Ochieng’ said in response to a question by the assisting
counsel Dorcas Oduor.

OP’s Sh29bn vote under threat over Armenians
Story by NATION Team | Parliament
Publication Date: 7/12/2006
The Nation, Kenya
July 11 2006
Opposition MPs threatened to shoot down a Sh29 billion vote for the
Office of the President, accusing it of inefficiency and corruption.
They demanded the resignation of minister John Michuki, saying he
had embarrassed the Government over the raid on the Standard Group
and the Armenians’ saga.
Several Kanu and Liberal Democratic Party MPs veered from debate
to demand that the minister quit for allegedly defending the two
foreigners and for admitting government involvement in the March raid
by masked gunmen.
But MPs on the Government side came to Mr Michuki’s defence, and
asked those opposed to him to confine their debate to the vote on
the ministry and not his personal conduct.
Temporary deputy Speaker Samuel Pogishio (Kacheliba, Kanu) had a hard
time trying to control debate.
He told MPs that the issue at hand had nothing to do with the minister
as a person but the money voted for his ministry.
Mr Jakoyo Midiwo (Gem, Narc) rose on a point of order when Mr
Michuki stood up to move the motion on the vote soon after the end
of question time.
He said MPs would be demanding for Mr Michuki’s resignation since
had failed to run his ministry well by allowing Armenian foreigners
to treat the country with contempt.
Mr Joseph Nkaiserry (Kajiado Central, Kanu) said it would be bad for
Parliament to debate and pass a budget for a ministry that had been
voted the most corrupt in an opinion poll.
Mr Raila Odinga (Langata, Narc) described Mr Michuki as a political
liability who had failed President Kibaki and the Government.
He said the minister should be ashamed of asking for Sh29 billion,
adding: “Kenyans woke up one morning to the shocking raid on the
Standard Group, only for this minister to say two days later that the
government had ordered the raid. Are we being ruled by a government
of human beings or snakes?”
The former Roads minister accused the Government of harassing Narok
North MP William Ntimama for defending the rights of the Maasai.
Mr Odinga said if there was anybody who should be charged, it was Mr
Michuki. “Infact, Mr Michuki’s ministry should be renamed the ministry
of Internal Insecurity.”

A mixture up in Arturs probe
By Graham Kirwa ( Wednesday, July 12, 2006)
Kenya Broadcasting Corporation, Kenya
July 11 2006
The joint parliamentary Committee probing the Armenian brothers had
a false start Tuesday when they opened the wrong container thought
to belong to the deported Arturs.
The team led by Kabete legislator Paul Muite and his Changamwe
counterpart Ramadhan Kajembe had opened a container belonging to a
Mandera businessman before the mix-up was sorted out.
The containers had wrongly been labeled by the port police as belonging
to the deported Armenians brothers.
The owners of the container however showed up and protested saying the
consignment was his. The container contained an assortment of clothes.
The committee later released the containers and asked the owners to
sort it out with the port officials.
Meanwhile two others containers believed to belonging to the Arturs
were opened and found to contain electronics.

Kenya: Armenians? It’s Only a Movie
The East African (Nairobi)
July 11, 2006
Posted to the web July 11, 2006
L. Muthoni Wanyeki
Nairobi
The cartoonist Gado got it right. His daily offering in last Friday’s
Daily Nation depicted the Kenyatta International Conference Centre as
a movie theatre showing the saga of The Artur Brothers. A poster to
one side advertised the movie, showing them together with two African
women – one old and one young. No prizes for guessing whom they were
meant to represent – the repudiated daughter of the repudiated second
wife now euphemistically referred to as a ‘NARC activist.’ Meanwhile,
a woman excitedly described the contents of the movie to her male
companion, “It has everything: intrigue, conflict, romance, betrayal,
comedy and tragedy.”
The reference was to the Presidential Commission of Inquiry now
sitting on the matter, its proceedings open to the public. The
sub-text was the turning of serious national proceedings into
circuses where our outrage is silenced. Just as we did with the
Goldenberg inquiry, we will troop to this inquiry’s sittings in large
numbers. We will exclaim and wring our hands, beside ourselves at the
juicy revelations.
The proceedings will dominate media coverage for the duration. We
will feel we participated. That we have learnt just how security is
assured at our international airport. That we have sufficiently
chastised and embarrassed the senior airports officials involved in
enabling the breach of that security. Simply by being there. Or
hearing about it. And discussing it, endlessly, tediously, with our
families and friends.
For Kenyans, it is apparently now enough to know. But only after
having resisted knowledge in the first place. Let us not pretend,
after all, that we had not been forewarned about the presence of the
so-called Armenian brothers in our country.
AND WE LET THE STORY DIE DOWN, while allowing the jurisdiction of our
Police Commissioner to be trampled upon unceremoniously. Until the
goings-on at our international airport when, finally (so the story
goes), one brave minister apparently stepped up to the plate to
enable the Police Commissioner to do his job.
But, even then, we resisted the logical progression from partial
knowledge to full knowledge to decisive action. We decided that it
was enough to know only as much of the story as is allowed to come
through by inflexible and strict adherence to basic principles of
law. Meaning that no inferences are to be drawn based on broader
understandings of accountability. At all.
Thus the Judicial Inquiry into Goldenberg can be closed with
absolutely no mention of our former president’s good name. Even
though he clearly had, if not legal accountability, then political
accountability for everything that transpired under his watch.
Similarly, the only result of the release of John Githongo’s dossier
on Anglo-Leasing has been the resignation of erstwhile ministers,
only for them to be resurrected unchallenged in various House
committees – including those (gasp!) dealing with financial matters.
The events at our international airport, together with the
discoveries made in the home of the “Armenian brothers” should have
resulted in the prompt (and I do mean prompt!) sacking (not
“resignations”) of our Ministers for Internal Security and
Immigration – just for a start. Because they are so clearly
politically accountable.
Instead, what do we see going on before our very eyes? A movie.
We know what happened. The direct line of accountability that can be
legally established and substantiated never tells the whole story.
Political accountability demands more.
L. Muthoni Wanyeki is the Executive Director of the African Women’s
Development and Communication Network (FEMNET)

Banks.am Internet Project Presented in Yerevan
PanARMENIAN.Net
11.07.2006 13:13 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Mediamax news agency presented its new internet
project in Yerevan – the financial portal Banks.am (Financial
Armenia). The member of the Board of the Central Bank of Armenia,
Vartan Movsisyan, representatives of commercial banks of the republic
and journalists attended the presentation.
Banks.am is the first and only Armenian web portal providing
full information about the whole spectrum of banking services. The
information is free and available for all visitors who are interested
in financial services. Banks.am is a convenient tool for the
specialists working in the banking sector and all people interested
in the developments on the financial market. The portal contains all
latest news related to the banking sphere of Armenia and the region,
newspaper publications and interviews, stock reports, etc.
The project aims to create an interactive space for providing
comprehensive information about the rapidly developing financial
market of Armenia.
As the member of CB Board Vartan Movsisyan said at the presentation
of the site today, “the Central Bank of Armenia welcomes Mediamax’s
initiative for creating the site This is the first
portal in Armenia providing available and full information about the
banking sector of the republic.”
According to him, “Mediamax’s initiative meets the conception of the
Central Bank aimed at the development of the financial market and the
banking sector in particular.” Vartan Movsisyan expressed the hope that
Mediamax will cover not only the banking sector but will also worthily
represent the Armenia’s insurance and exchange markets on the web.

Torosyan: Meetings of Armenian and Azeri Leaders Will Result in Nothing at This Stage
PanARMENIAN.Net
11.07.2006 14:05 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian Speaker Tigran Torosyan yesterday met
with head of OSCE Office in Yerevan, Ambassador Vladimir Pryakhin,
reports the Press Service of NA of Armenia. When commenting on
Azeri parties speculations, which began a month ago, Torosyan said
Azerbaijan spreads disinformation on fires in NK security zone in all
directions, including international structures. Vladimir Pryakhin
promised to convey T. Torosyan ‘s approaches on fires in Karabakh
to OSCE leaders. Within that context the interlocutors discussed
the statement and expectations of the OSCE MG in settlement of the
NK conflict. It was noted that when there is a goal to solve the
conflict quickly, it is necessary to clearly assess the conduct of
the parties, specifically militant statements and hatred propaganda
of Azerbaijan. It is clear that the co-chairs should be reserved and
careful to promote rapprochement of the parties, however when they
do not express any attitude to negative impact on the society, it
stimulates formal approach to conflict settlement. At the instance of
Vladimir PryakhinTorosyan touched upon the opportunity for the Armenian
and Azeri Presidents to meet within G8 summit in St. Petersburg. He
noted that the meetings will result in nothing new, as mechanisms,
which would allow to determine who is refusing from previous
agreements, are not worked out.
From: Baghdasarian

Shamil Basayev Annihilated in Special Operation in Ingushetia
PanARMENIAN.Net
11.07.2006 14:16 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Shamil Basayev is annihilated in Ingushetia,
along with several bandits, who were arranging acts of terrorism,
Russian Federal Security Service Director Nikolay Patrushev reported
to Russian President Putin. The Russian leader called annihilation
of Basayev “a condign punishment” for acts of terrorism in Beslan and
Budennovsk and ordered to award participants of the special operation.
To finally affirm the fact of annihilation of Basayev a genetic
expertise will be held, though the special services are a hundred
percent sure in his death.
In 1993 Shamil Basayev along with a detachment of Chechen Vakhabbits
took part in the war against NKR on Azerbaijan’s side. Azerbaijan
does not pay money to Basayev’s detachment, but provides arms and
ammunition for fighting against Russian authorities.

Oskanian: No Opportunities for Rapprochement of Yerevan and Baku Positions Today
PanARMENIAN.Net
11.07.2006 14:47 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Today there are no opportunities for rapprochement
of Yerevan and Baku positions over settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh
conflict, Armenian FM Vartan Oskanian stated at a joint news conference
with Lebanese FM Fawzi Salloukh in Yerevan today.
There are no contacts between Armenia and Azerbaijan today, he
underscored. The Minister added that the planned visit of the US
Co-Chair of the OSCE MG Matthew Bryza to the region may stimulate
establishing contacts between Armenia and Azerbaijan. However Vartan
Oskanian did not state the American party will assume that initiative.
Speaking on the closing of the Russian-Georgian border the Armenian
FM noted that resumption of the work of Kazbegi-Upper Lars checkpoint
is very important. In his words Georgian authorities promoted Yerevan
and allowed passage of 17 cars through territory of South Ossetia,
however, this does not solve the problem.
Oskanian hoped for soonest solution of the issue, adding that talks
are held with the Russian party on the matter.

Politicians Large Obstacle for Armenian-Azeri Dialogue
PanARMENIAN.Net
11.07.2006 15:08 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The work on establishment of peace between peoples
should be done by politicians. Public dialogue is necessary –
it is half the success on the way to peace, but just politicians
are the largest obstacle on the way to dialogue between Armenians
and Azeris, Azeri publicist and journalist Alekper Aliyev stated
in a conversation with a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter. In his words,
the anti-Armenian hysteria in Azerbaijan can be explained by Baku
losing the Karabakh war.
“The winner is always condescending – maybe this is why there is no
hysteria in Armenia similar to that in Azerbaijan. We have Leader
TV channel, which is authority leaning, and you can never hear of
xenophobia, anti-Armenian moods or military hysteria on it. However,
there are media, who each day propagate the enemy image,” he remarked.
Aliyev also remarked that if politicians want a war, let them fight. In
his words, militant statements of top officials can result in nothing
good. “Leave the peoples alone, stop fearing peoples’ diplomacy. If the
state is afraid of its people, it means it does not trust it. As for
bans for trips to Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh, the sole structures,
who can prevent me from travelling are the President, MFA and the
Ministry of National Security,” he said.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress