PRESS RELEASE
Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
Contact: V.Rev.Fr.Krikor Chiftjian, Communications Officer
Tel: (04) 410001, 410003
Fax: (04) 419724
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:
PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon
Armenian version:
VIDEO SCREENING IN THE CATHOLICOSATE OF CILICIA
“THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE 90 YEARS LATER”
The Armenian Church University Students’ Association (HEHOM) organized a
screening of “The Armenian Genocide 90 Year Later” in cooperation with
“Aztag” Armenian Daily in the Catholicosate of Cilicia on the evening May
13. The video screened in the hall of the “Cilicia” museum was prepared by
the Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies of Minnesota University.
Saro Kendirdjian from the Students’ Association delivered the opening
remarks of the event, stressing that the Armenian Genocide and the Armenian
Cause have become unifying factors for the entire Armenian nation to fight
against injustice. Kendirdjian added that the struggle for Armenian rights
has become the nation’s principal aim and highest value.
“The pursuit of the Armenian Cause has been the source of our nation’s
survival and eternity, it has been our sanctity, our spirit, our blood, our
identity and our pride,” Kendirdjian said. He pointed out that the Armenian
Cause progressed due to the efforts of Armenian unions and organizations and
entered into the hearts of each Armenian.
Highlighting the efforts of the students’ union in this context, Kendirdjian
described its main aim as gathering the Armenian youth under one concern,
that of justice, the realization of rights and national aims. He said these
efforts might have been incomplete without the support of the media and
thanked “Aztag” Daily for securing the video to be screened during the
event.
The English language documentary “The Armenian Genocide 90 Years Later” was
then screened for the first time in the Middle East. Stating that the
survivors of the Armenian Genocide revived their cause, the video featured
Armenian, foreign and Turkish academicians and their approaches on the
Armenian Genocide.
Among others, the video included appearances from Eric Weits (professor at
Minnesota University), Stephan Feinstein (Director of the university’s
Holocaust and Genocide Studies Center), professor Taner Akcam, Lou Ann
Matossian (daughter of Genocide survivor, lecturer and administrative
officer in the Kafsedjian Institute). It also featured descendants of
Armenian Genocide survivors.
Each of the academicians and speakers presented their views and knowledge on
the reasons behind the Armenian Genocide: the Turkish policy towards
minorities, the role and importance of Armenians in the regions which were
worrying factors for Turkey. Thus, Turkey preferred the annihilation of
Armenians and the islamisation of the region.
Foreign academicians referred to evidence of more than two million Armenians
living on the region and of their disappearance in a short period of time.
They stressed the existence of great evidence about the Armenian Genocide in
American and German archives, but pointed out that these remain concealed
because of political interests.
The professors assured that news about the Armenian Genocide filled the
pages of newspapers in 1915 along with news about the First World War.
Without playing with words, everybody wrote that collective massacres are
occurring in the deserts in Der Zor, that people are dying from fatigue,
torture and starvation.
Speaking about the Armenian Genocide, Taner Akcam considered it a crime
against humanity. He assured that it is not a crime executed by a couple of
criminals, but an inhumane act carried out by the aid of the Turkish
society, something Turks deny today still because psychologically they can’t
accept that their predecessors were criminals.
The speakers then talked about the role of the Armenian Genocide in Turkey’s
EU bid and the former Turkish laws that punished people referring to the
Armenian Genocide.
##
The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates of
the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the youth
activities of the Cilician Catholicosate, you may refer to the web page of
the Catholicosate, The Cilician Catholicosate, the
administrative center of the church is located in Antelias, Lebanon.

PRESS RELEASE
“Hayastan” All-Armenian Fund
Governmental Building 3, Yerevan, RA
Contact: Anush Babayan
Tel: 3741 52 09 40
Fax: 3741 52 37 95
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:
18.05.06
The 15th Meeting of the Board of Trustees
The 15th meeting of the `Hayastan’ All-Armenian Fund’s Board of
Trustees convened on May the 5th at the Government Reception House,
Yerevan. The Meeting approved the 2005 report of the Executive Board.
Then it discussed the agenda issues, which included also election of new
Trustees. Three new trustees were elected to the Board-Mark Geragos,
Hasmik Terterian and Mike Kharapian.
One of the main issues of the Board Meeting was the `Rebirth of
Artsakh’ project which was approved last year. The project will go
along this year and the 2006 Telethon will be devoted to it. The Board
of Trustees decided to organize the Telethon on November 30. Amounts
raised during the Telethon will be directed to rehabilitation and
development of Hadrout and Mardakert regions.
The Meeting touched on also the issue of border communities’
development. Vardan Oskanian, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Trustee of
the `Hayastan’ Fund presented the project. A commission was set to
study the development project and put forward suggestions on
implementation of it jointly with other Himnadram projects. The
commission involved trustees, chairs of the local committees and the
Executive Director of the Fund.
It was also decided to provide $25 000 to the families of the recent
airliner crash victims through the donations of the Fund’s worldwide
affiliates. The Fund will go on assisting those families.
A few days following the Meeting the major donor Jean Boghossian added
$10,000 to the collected amount.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

YEREVAN PRESS CLUB WEEKLY NEWSLETTER
MAY 12-18, 2006
HIGHLIGHTS:
ARMENIAN NEWSPAPER ARCHIVE ON
“PRESS-CLUB+”: “NATIONAL UNITY” DISCUSSING ECONOMY AND EUROPEAN INTEGRATION
ANOTHER INCIDENT WITH “LORI” TV HEAD
HAMLET GHUSHIAN MADE A PUBLIC APOLOGY
“AVETIS” CAUTIONED
THE PRESS LEGION REPLENISHED
BOOK ABOUT ONE HUNDRED ARMENIANS
SPECIAL AWARD FOR PUBLIC SERVICE ADVERTISING
“TSAYG” AND “ARKA” CELEBRATING JUBILEES
ARMENIAN NEWSPAPER ARCHIVE ON
On Yerevan Press Club web-site () the Armenian Press Archive is
re-launched (). In the Archive the following national
periodicals are stored and constantly updated:
Armenian-language newspapers – official “Hayastani Hanrapetutiun” (issues
since December 2003), “Azg” (since January 1999), “Haikakan Zhamanak” (since
March 2000), “Hayots Ashkhar” (since December 2000), “Aravot” (since March
1998) dailies, “Iravunk” (since January 1998) published twice a week,
“Yerkir” weekly (since January 2006) as well as the previously published
“Orran” daily (issues from August 2002 till May 2003);
Russian-language newspapers – official “Respublika Armenia”, published twice
a week (issues since March 2001),”Golos Armenii” (since January 2000) and
“Novoye Vremya” (since December 2000), published three times a week,
“Delovoy Express” weekly (since March 2000), as well as “Azg” and “Aravot”
Russian-language versions (since 2000).
Apart from general re-structuring of , the search
engine for the data base has been improved, too.
“PRESS-CLUB+”: “NATIONAL UNITY” DISCUSSING ECONOMY AND EUROPEAN INTEGRATION
On May 16 the eighth talk show of “Press Club+” series went on the evening
air of “Yerkir-Media” TV company.
The invitees of the program host, the Chief Editor of “Aravot” daily Aram
Abrahamian were the leaders of “National Unity” party as guests, and NGO and
media representatives as experts. The TV discussion focused on economic
situation in Armenia and the process of European integration of the country.
It is expected that at 21.00, May 23 (next Tuesday) “Press Club+” will give
floor to the representatives of Democratic Party of Armenia, sharing their
opinions on the issues of the day.
ANOTHER INCIDENT WITH “LORI” TV HEAD
In the early morning of May 16 in Vanadzor the Volkswagen owned by the
Executive Director of “Lori” TV company Narineh Avetisian was stoned. The
glasses of the car were broken. In the opinion of Narineh Avetisian, the
incident can be related to the talk show aired in the evening of May 15 on
“Lori” TV under the project “Isolated Civilization”, implemented by the
Vanadzor Office of Helsinki Citizens Assembly. The program was dealing with
the problems of Vanadzor residents, living in the temporary dwellings in one
of the city areas, in particular, their eviction process and the sale of the
land lots at low prices and with no auctioning. The TV show gave floor to
the representatives of the local administration and the residents
themselves. As YPC was told by Narineh Avetisian, after the talk show was
over its organizers stayed in the studio for a discussion, which ended after
midnight. Going then out into the street they found the journalist’s car
damaged. The two other cars standing by were intact. Narineh Avetisian also
noted that the investigation of the incident was started by Vanadzor City
Police Division.
As it has been reported, three months ago another incident had happened to
the head of “Lori” TV. On February 23 she was insulted by the owner of two
routes of the city microbuses. The discontent of the entrepreneur was raised
by the persistence of the TV company to raise on its air the issue of
ungrounded fare raises in the city transport (see details in YPC Weekly
Newsletter, February 24 – March 2, 2006). According to Narineh Avetisian,
the entrepreneur was summoned to the police for a confrontation and, as far
as she knows, this is how the investigation ended.
HAMLET GHUSHIAN MADE A PUBLIC APOLOGY
On May 15 in Yerevan a press-conference of TV journalist Hamlet Ghushian was
held. Hamlet Ghushian had previously worked for different TV channels and
till 2002 he headed “Yerevan” TV company. At the meeting with his colleagues
Hamlet Ghushian disseminated a statement, making a public apology to the
former Chief Commander of Mountainous Karabagh army, presently the leader of
“Dashink” party Samvel Babayan.
After the attempted assassination of Mountainous Karabagh President Arkadiy
Ghukasian on March 22, 2000 (Samvel Babayan had been charged with its
organization), Hamlet Ghushian made a revelatory film about him, titled “The
Master of Heaven and Hell”. As the author maintains, while preparing the
film he was using the materials provided by the Prosecutor’s Office, tax
bodies and the MK State Television, and it has now turned out the
information was false. According to the TV journalist, after the amnesty of
Samvel Babayan (the former Chief Commander, having been sentenced to 14
years’ imprisonment, was pardoned in September 2004) they met, and he had a
chance to realize how wrong he had been. For this reason Hamlet Ghushian
decided to make a public apology and would like to make another film, with a
conventional title of “Samvel Babayan: an Outside Look”, where different
opinions would be presented.
At the press-conference Hamlet Ghushian also informed that his return from
Moscow to Yerevan after an over three years’ absence is related to the
invitation of a well-known entrepreneur Hrant Vardanian to head “Grand
Media” holding, incorporating, in particular, the two TV companies owned by
the Vardanian family – “AR” and “Hayrenik”.
Meanwhile, on May 17 “Hayots Ashkhar” daily published the comment of
“Dashink” party with regard to the press-conference held: “Neither Samvel
Babayan, nor his party needs the new film by Hamlet Ghushian. (…) We are
fully satisfied with the public apology made by Ghushian, and we think this
issue solved.”
“AVETIS” CAUTIONED
On May 11 the National Commission on Television and Radio made a forewarning
to “Editorial Office of ‘Echmiadzin’ TV company” production cooperative
(aired with “Avetis” logotype) for the violation of the broadcast license
terms. As YPC was told by the National Commission, after the change of the
owner (currently the cooperative is owned by Levon Partakchian) the TV
company expanded its broadcast area, covering Yerevan, too. Meanwhile,
according to the license, its maximum coverage area is limited to
Echmiadzin.
THE PRESS LEGION REPLENISHED
Recently three new publications have been launched.
On May 12 the legion of daily periodical publications was replenished by
Armenian-language “Zhamanak-Yerevan”. This is the version of “Zhamanak-Los
Angeles” newspaper, published in the USA in Armenian and English, intended
for Armenia. According to the Chief Editor Arman Babajanian,
“Zhamanak-Yerevan” will come out 5 times a week, in tabloid format with a
preliminary print run of 1,500 copies.
On May 12 a new monthly magazine for adolescents appeared called “Es? Yes!”.
Its founder and publisher is “CS Publishing House” CJSC. The magazine is
issued on 32 full-color pages with a print run of 5,000 copies. The stories
for “Es? Yes!” are produced by students, and the Chief Editor, Ani Kochar,
is also a student of the Journalism Department of Yerevan State University.
Since May 11 the Russian “Gudok” transport daily started to produce a
supplement – “Gudok-Armenia”. One of the 8 pages of the supplement (A2
format) is dealing with events in Armenia. The print run of “Gudok-Armenia”
is 1,500 copies.
BOOK ABOUT ONE HUNDRED ARMENIANS
The Moscow MEDIAKRAT publishing house produced a book by political observer
of “Golos Armenii” newspaper Aris Ghazinian, “100 Greatest Armenians of the
20th Century”. It presented biographical essays about the famous Armenians
of the last century, classified by 10 thematic sections: military science;
science and technology; theater; cinema and television; music; literature;
arts and architecture; sports; business and politics; national figures. The
graphic portraits illustrating each essay are made by well-known artist Ara
Ohanian (Arzo). The print run of the book is 50,000 copies.
SPECIAL AWARD FOR PUBLIC SERVICE ADVERTISING
On May 9 in Yerevan the award ceremony of the Third International Youth Film
Festival “Es Em” was held. Among the winners of the festival is “Art Site
Studio” (producer Arzuman Harutiunian), awarded a diploma and a special
prize, “Just So”, for adverts on volunteers’ work (“Advertising, Video Art,
Musical Clip” nomination).
“TSAYG” AND “ARKA” CELEBRATING JUBILEES
On May 10 the Gyumri “Tsayg” TV company celebrated the 15th anniversary
since its foundation. The programs of the TV company appeared on air for the
first time on May 10, 1992.
On May 15 “ARKA” news agency celebrated its 10th anniversary.
Yerevan Press Club congratulates colleagues with memorable dates and wishes
them prosperity and success.
When reprinting or using the information above, reference to the Yerevan
Press Club is required.
You are welcome to send any comment and feedback about the Newsletter to:
[email protected]
Subscription for the Newsletter is free. To subscribe or unsubscribe from
this mailing list, please send a message to: [email protected]
Editor of YPC Newsletter – Elina POGHOSBEKIAN
_____________________________________ _______
Yerevan Press Club
9B, Ghazar Parpetsi str.
0002, Yerevan, Armenia
Tel.: (+ 374 10) 53 00 67; 53 35 41; 53 76 62
Fax: (+374 10) 53 56 61
E-mail: [email protected]
Web Site:
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

FORUM 18 NEWS SERVICE, Oslo, Norway
The right to believe, to worship and witness
The right to change one’s belief or religion
The right to join together and express one’s belief
========================================== ======
Thursday 18 May 2006
RUSSIA: SOCHI MUSLIMS WITHOUT MOSQUE, CATHOLICS HOPE FOR CHAPEL
In the Black Sea town of Sochi, close to the Georgian border, the
authorities have persistently denied the Yasin Muslim community permission
to construct a mosque, Forum 18 News Service has learnt. The community has
been trying to find a suitable site for 10 years but, “whenever I find
somewhere, the [city] architectural department says that it’s already
sold, obstructed by pipes, or something else,” Ravza Ramazanova, the
organisation’s chair, told Forum 18. The community’s roughly 70
worshippers currently use three cramped cellar rooms – which Forum 18 has
seen – to pray and study. Similarly, local Catholic priest Fr Dariusz
Jagodzinski hopes that Sochi’s bid to host the Winter Olympics in 2014
will assist plans for the construction of a Catholic chapel in the nearby
town of Adler. This, he explained to Forum 18, was how the Catholic church
in Sochi was built from 1995-97: “They were hoping to hold the Winter
Olympics here in 2002.” Forum 18 noted that the Russian Orthodox Church,
the Armenian Apostolic Church, Baptists, Pentecostals, Jews and the New
Apostolic Church all have prominent houses of worship in the Sochi area.
RUSSIA: SOCHI MUSLIMS WITHOUT MOSQUE, CATHOLICS HOPE FOR CHAPEL
By Geraldine Fagan, Forum 18 News Service <; The authorities in the Black Sea coastal town of Sochi, close to the border with Georgia, have persistently denied the Yasin Muslim community permission to construct a mosque, Forum 18 News Service has learnt. Ravza Ramazanova, who chairs the organisation, showed Forum 18 the three cramped cellar rooms where its approximately 70 worshippers are obliged to pray and study. "I'm so tired of writing letters - whole files - it just drags on and on," she told Forum 18 on 11 April, adding that, although she has identified some 20 possible construction sites over the ten years since her organisation was registered, "whenever I find somewhere, the [city] architectural department says that it's already sold, obstructed by pipes, or something else." In one 2002 reply to Yasin, Krasnodar region's Department for Relations with Social Organisations explained that, in the absence of an area in Sochi populated largely by those "oriented towards the Muslim faith," allocation of land must be accompanied by a survey of public opinion in the area where the mosque would be situated "so as to avoid conflict situations" (see F18News 7 December 2004 < e_id=470>).
In fact, according to Ramazanova, there are positive community relations
in Sochi, with members of the local Tree of Friendship nationalities
society – “Estonians, Belarusians, Ukrainians, Adygeis, Armenians,
Georgians, Greeks” – all supporting her campaign for a mosque. While a
prominent public figure – she showed Forum 18 numerous photographs of
herself with various local and national politicians, including Moscow
mayor Yuri Luzhkov and parliamentary speaker Boris Gryzlov – Ramazanova
said that even an appeal to the local authorities on her behalf by
Tatarstan president Mintimer Shaimiyev had failed to yield any result.
Showing Forum 18 a copy of her latest – unanswered – 27 March 2006 letter
to Sochi mayor Viktor Kolodyazhny, Ramazanova said that she still retains
some hope, however. “The town has got much cleaner since he became mayor
two years ago – I think he’ll get around to us at some point.” The letter
reminds Kolodyazhny that he promised, at a 30 November 2005 Tree of
Friendship meeting, to review the issue of identifying a construction site
for the Muslim community by the end of the same year.
In the meantime, as Ramazanova complained to Forum 18, “all this stops me
from working – how are the young supposed to learn their religion, to
understand that God sees everything so they shouldn’t drink or steal –
without a mosque?” She pointed out that there is currently no fitting
place for Muslims in the area – Russia’s most popular holiday destination
– to come for naming or burial rites: “When the father of a Tatar family
here on holiday died, they had to come to this cellar!”
The telephone of Sochi administration’s press secretary Oksana Velichkina
went unanswered on 17 and 18 May, as did that of the city’s department
dealing with law enforcement agencies, religious and social organisations,
Cossacks and international affairs.
Similarly to Ravza Ramazanova, local Catholic priest Fr Dariusz
Jagodzinski is hoping that Sochi’s bid to host the Winter Olympics in 2014
will assist plans for the construction of a chapel by his 80-strong parish
of the Cappadocian Fathers in Adler, a town ten minutes’ drive along the
coast south of Sochi but coming under its municipal authority. This, he
explained to Forum 18 on 11 April, was how the Catholic church of SS
Apostles Thaddeus and Simon was built in Sochi from 1995-97: “They were
hoping to hold the Winter Olympics here in 2002.” Currently, however, the
Adler parish is fighting court cases against ten different parties
claiming to have been promised the same 700-square-metre plot of land
already purchased by the Catholics for 25,000 US Dollars [675,750 Russian
Roubles, 153,000 Norwegian Kroner, or 19,550 Euros], said Fr Dariusz, “but
we have the official documents.”
According to Fr Dariusz, the Adler chapel – while apparently close to
Sochi – is sorely needed. He pointed out that some parishioners currently
spend all day travelling to and from Sunday Mass, and that even the 100
Rouble [23 Norwegian Kroner, 3 Euros, or 4 US Dollars] single fare to
Sochi from nearby towns is too much for a household where the monthly wage
is 1,500 Roubles [340 Norwegian Kroner, 43 Euros, or 55 US Dollars].
Forum 18 noted that the Russian Orthodox Church, the Armenian Apostolic
Church, Baptists, Pentecostals, Jews and the New Apostolic Church all have
prominent houses of worship in the Sochi area.
For more on the problems experienced by religious organisations in
securing worship premises, see F18News 7 December 2004
< e_id=470>, 19 August 2005
< e_id=633>, 24 August 2005
< e_id=637> and 30 August 2005
< e_id=639>. (END)
For a personal commentary by an Old Believer about continuing denial of
equality to Russia’s religious minorities see F18News
< icle_id=570>
For more background see Forum 18’s Russia religious freedom survey at
< id=509>
A printer-friendly map of Russia is available at
< s/atlas/index.html?Parent=europe&Rootmap=russi >
(END)
© Forum 18 News Service. All rights reserved. ISSN 1504-2855
You may reproduce or quote this article provided that credit is given to
F18News
Past and current Forum 18 information can be found at

PRESS RELEASE
Armenian Association of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and Microsurgery
58, Abovyan St.
Yerevan, Armenia
Contact: Gevorg Yaghjyan MD, PhD
Secretary General
Tel: (37410) 560636
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:
Intensive Course in Breast Reconstruction
Yerevan, May 27, 2006
Armenian Association of Plastic Reconstructive Surgery and
Microsurgery (AAPRSM), as well as the Yerevan State Medical University
will organized an Intensive Course in Breast Reconstruction.
The event will take place on May 27th in the Conference Hall of
the Yerevan State Medical University. About 60 oncosurgeons and
reconstructive surgeons from different Yerevan hospitals will
attend the course.
The course will be lead by Dr. Artavazd Sahakyan MD, PhD , the
president of AAPRSM, and invited lecturer Dr. Jaco Festekjian MD, FACS
from UCLA Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, USA.
Dr. Festekjian board certified Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon,
Assistant Clinical Professor, author of numerous articles, abstracts
and book chapters.
The lectures will be dedicated to Breast Reconstruction problem, the
use of autologous tissues and new technologies in breast
reconstructive surgery .
The goal of the teaching course is to present the latest information,
the experience and knowledge of an international faculty member to
Armenian doctors.
The course is open for all doctors, residents and medical students
upon the registration on the web site:
We hope that programs of this kind will be continued in future and
help to enhance the professional level of local specialists through the
gained theoretical knowledge and discussions.
AAPRSM is a non-for-profit organization of medical professionals, aimed
at improving the health care system of the community and advancing
medical sciences in Armenia.

PRESS RELEASE
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia
Contact: Information Desk
Tel: (374-10) 52-35-31
Email: [email protected]
Web:
Minister Oskanian Meets with Azerbaijani FM and OSCE Minsk Group co-Chairs
On Thursday, May 18, in Strasbourg, France, Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian
met with Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov in the presence of
OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs, in the ongoing Nagorno Karabakh negotiation
process.
Following the bilateral meeting, the co-chairs met with each minister
separately. The purpose of this round of talks was to prepare for the visit
to the region later this month of a high-level delegation from the co-chair
countries.
At the conclusion of the meeting, Minister Oskanian positively assessed the
talks, despite the outstanding issues that remain, he said.
On Friday, May 19, Minister Oskanian will take part in the 116th Session of
the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe.

BBC NEWS:
2006/05/18 14:37:07 GMT
994434.stm
French MPs shelve ‘genocide’ vote

The French parliament has postponed debate on a bill that would make
it a crime to deny that the mass killing of Armenians in 1915 was
“genocide”. Turkish officials and businesses had lobbied French MPs
to shelve the bill, which relates to a thorny issue still plaguing
Turkish-Armenian relations. Turkey rejects Armenia’s claim that the
Ottoman Turks killed 1.5m Armenians. The French Socialist opposition
wanted a new law to impose fines in line with those for Holocaust
deniers. Anyone denying that six million Jews were killed by the
Nazis in World War II can be fined up to 39,064 euros (£26,500) and be
jailed for five years in France. Armenia says up to 1.5 million
Armenians were deported and died at the hands of the Ottoman rulers in
World War I. Turkey says a few hundred thousand died in a war which
also left many Turks dead. Diplomatic impact Ahead of the debate,
Turkish MPs had been lobbying their French counterparts, warning of
irreparable damage if the bill passed into law. It was set to be a
free vote for French MPs, but President Jacques Chirac said that
passing the bill would be a mistake.

Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy agreed, telling the National
Assembly: “The Armenian cause is just and should be defended and
respected. But the bill you have submitted today would, if passed, be
considered as an unfriendly gesture by a large majority of Turks,
whether you want this or not.” As the session ran out of time for a
vote to take place, there were reportedly angry scenes as MPs and
Armenian groups in the public gallery shouted: “Vote! Vote!” There
are some 400,000 people of Armenian descent in France, and the
Socialists have been accused of trying to win their favour ahead of
next year’s presidential election. Some European Union countries have
passed bills recognising the killings as genocide and the European
Parliament has backed a non-binding resolution saying Turkey must
recognise it as such before it can join the EU. The French bill will
now be shelved until October at the earliest.

Advancement
The newsletter of fundraising and philantropy at Boston University
06/spring/armenia/index.html
Spring 2006
Lessons in Modern Armenia
BU Alumnus’s Bequest Will Fund New Courses

He may have had a Ph.D. in English from Boston University, and have taught
English for some fifty years, but Charles Kenosian’s early days as a scholar
weren’t promising: he failed kindergarten. That really wasn’t his fault –
when he started school, he spoke only Armenian. After being held back, and
clearly learning a second language very quickly, he got a double promotion.
“He was a smart guy,” says his sister, Elisabeth Kenosian.

Kenosian had an abiding interest in his heritage, and it bothered him that
many Americans knew so little about Armenia’s history and heritage.
Kenosian, who died in January 2005, was upset that many of his students and
even some professors at Salem (Massachusetts) State College were so ignorant
about the country. “He heard an awful lot of students who thought Armenians
are Muslims,” Elisabeth reports, especially ironic because Armenia was the
first country to adopt Christianity as its state religion, in the year 301,
and has been the bastion of Christianity in that region for over 1700 years.

Kenosian’s desire that Americans – especially young people – gain a greater
understanding of Armenia will be taking the form of new courses in modern
Armenian history and literature at the College and Graduate School of Arts
and Sciences, thanks to a generous bequest from Kenosian through the Charles
and Elisabeth Kenosian Endowment Fund. Armenia’s ancient history is the
subject of programs at other universities, but the new courses are intended
to focus on events since the 1800s, when Armenia was part of the Ottoman
empire, through to its current status as a republic.

“Among the special relationships that the deanship opened for me was to have
known Charles Kenosian, a dedicated teacher and man of dignity and
distinction,” says Jeffrey Henderson, dean of Arts and Sciences. “He was a
regular supporter of arts and sciences at BU, and his generous bequest will
make a special addition to the College and Graduate School’s course
offerings directed toward an important culture in an increasingly important
part of the world.”

Kenosian wanted his legacy to “go to an academic source,” says Elisabeth,
“and BU was where his close ties were, and where he began his teaching
career.”
—
Taylor McNeil
Editor
Bostonia
Boston University
10 Lenox Street
Brookline, MA 02446
617-353-7350 (v)
617-353-6488 (f)
[email protected]

BBC
Who got through to the final?
After a tantalising semi-final we can reveal that the following
countries were voted into the final, to be shown on BBC One and
streamed online at 8pm on Saturday 20th May.
Russia
FYR Macedonia
Bosnia & Herzegovina
Lithuania
Finland
Ukraine
Ireland
Swed en
Turkey
Armenia
We had hundreds of emails during the show, and lots about the Finnish
act Lordi. At the press conference following the show Lordi frontman
told gathered journalists he was pleased that an act like his had made
it in a ‘pop contest’. The Finns have made it through to the final for
the first time, Bravo!
Updated 18th May, 2006
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ASBAREZ ONLINE
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05/18/2006
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WEBSITE AT <;HTTP://WWW.ASBAREZ. COM 1) Uproar in French Parliament as Armenian Genocide Vote Is Shelved 2) Senators Sarbanes And Boxer Question US Ambassador Designate to Azerbaijan 3) Prime Minister of Canada Congratulates ANCC for Opening of National Office 1) Uproar in French Parliament as Armenian Genocide Vote Is Shelved PARIS (AFP/ANCA)--Angry scenes broke out in the French National Assembly on Thursday after the National Assembly's President Jean-Louis Debré, under pressure from the French Government, called off a vote on a bill that would make it a punishable offense to deny the Armenian genocide. Despite the fact that it was listed as only the second item on the Parliamentary agenda, President Debré effectively blocked the bill's consideration by artificially extending the first agenda item by adding speakers, extending time limits, and other dilatory tactics. These tactics were confronted by Socialist, Communist, and Centrist groups. Shouts filled the assembly as the bill's supporters accused members of the ruling Union for a Popular Movement (UMP) of stalling debate. These protests, notably that of the President of the Socialist group, Jean-Marc Ayrault, led to Debré finally consenting to examine the anti-denial measure during the remaining thirty minutes left in the session. The time allocated for the bill's discussion ran out before a vote could take place. Discussion of the text--which has sparked a diplomatic dispute between France and Turkey--will now be pushed back to October at the earliest, under the parliamentary calendar. Dozens of lawmakers angrily yelling, "Vote! Vote!" had to be evacuated from the building after the leader of the assembly declared the session closed. Earlier Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy came out openly against the bill, which follows a 2001 French law officially recognizing the Turkish massacres of Armenians at the end of World War I as genocide. "If adopted, this text would be seen as an unfriendly gesture by the great majority of the Turkish people," he told lawmakers, warning its adoption would have "serious political consequences and weaken our position not only in Turkey but across the entire region." "Turkey is a leading economic and trade partner... we cannot accept this bill," Douste-Blazy said. Almost all the other speakers argued in favor of sanctioning Armenian genocide denial. Sources within Parliament reported that a broad majority of members, including those in the conservative majority, were prepared to vote for the resolution. The bill would make punishable by up to five years in prison and a fine of 45,000 Euros the crime of denying that Turkish troops committed genocide against the Armenians. The same punishment is on the statute books for people who deny that the Jewish Holocaust took place. Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan--backed by Turkish business leaders and unions--appealed this month to France to block the contentious new bill, warning of the threat to bilateral relations. Ankara briefly recalled its ambassador from Paris for consultations this month, amid rising tensions over the bill. Former Socialist minister Jack Lang said it would "undermine the efforts of those in Turkey who are trying to bring Ankara to recognize its history," and warned against a trend towards "criminalizing public expression." In light of these developments, President of the European Armenian Federation Hilda Tchoboian thanked the deputies who supported passage of the bill and condemned the French Government for preventing passage of the bill. `We thank the deputies who, by their commitment to the struggle for justice and dignity, preserved the honor and prestige of France as a nation committed to these high ideals. We are however scandalized by the shameful schemes employed by the French government to hamper the free expression of members of the National Assembly on this core issue of concern to the conscience of all people,' said Tchoboian. `Both the government and the media should keep in mind the lesson of the referendum on the European Constitution--namely that in a leading democratic nation, such as France, the will of the people cannot be ignored, deterred, or obstructed by the Government. Sooner or later, the imposition of penalties for Armenian genocide denial will be adopted because, in their wisdom, the French people and their elected representatives understand that the true basis for peace and progress are justice and the dignity,' concluded Tchoboian. 2) Senators Sarbanes And Boxer Question US Ambassador Designate to Azerbaijan --Ambassador Designate Anne Derse pledges no US financial support for railway bypassing Armenia; defends administration call to break military aid parity WASHINGTON, DC--US Ambassador Designate to Azerbaijan Anne Derse responded to questions by Senate Foreign Relations Committee member Paul Sarbanes (D-MD), Wednesday, on a series of US policy concerns focusing on Azerbaijan's belligerent attitude toward Armenia and Karabagh, as well as the Administration's budget request, which would break military assistance parity to Armenia and Azerbaijan, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA). Senators Sarbanes and Barbara Boxer (D-CA) had submitted the questions during the May 12 Senate Foreign Relations Committee confirmation hearing, led by Chairman Richard Lugar (R-IN). In response to a question by Senator Sarbanes expressing concern about the Bush Administration's Fiscal Year 2007 budget request which would provide over 40% more military assistance to Azerbaijan than Armenia, Ambassador Designate Derse defended the decision, stating that `we do not believe that the slight differences in military assistance... undermine prospects for peace or send the wrong message.' Derse was echoing a similar response by Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice, again to a question by Senator Sarbanes at a Senate hearing in February 2006. Secretary Rice had noted that `the minor increase in FMF [Foreign Military Finance] for Azerbaijan as proposed in the President's budget request in January does not signal any change in the US position on Nagorno-Karabagh.' Senator Boxer specifically questioned Derse about the US response to the Azeri destruction of the historic Armenian cemetery of Julfa in the Azeri controlled region of Nakhichevan. Azeri soldiers decimated the cemetery, which included thousands of cross-stone carvings, known as `khatchkars,' in December 2005. The ANCA had urged US Ambassador Reno Harnish to visit the site and investigate the demolition. Senator Boxer asked if Derse would `visit the cemetery site and commit [herself] to investigating the demolition of this unique cemetery.' Derse has yet to submit a response to Senator Boxer's inquiries. `We would like to thank Senators Sarbanes and Boxer for raising key concerns about the destruction of Julfa and military parity agreement with Ambassador Designate Derse,' stated ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian. `We remain troubled by the Administration's retreat from its 2001 agreement to maintain military aid parity and are hopeful the Congressional appropriators will honor this agreement to ensure military aid balance to the region.' The House Foreign Operations Subcommittee is set to discuss the issue during their mark-up of the FY 2007 foreign aid bill scheduled for this Friday, May 19. In response to Senator Sarbanes' question on efforts toward regional economic integration in the Caucasus, Derse noted that the `opening of the border between Turkey and Armenia would contribute to the economies of both countries,' but made no reference to the 18-year Azeri blockade of Armenia and Nagorno Karabagh. Derse did, however, make specific mention of recent efforts to build a railway line connecting Turkey, Georgia and Azerbaijan, stating `because the proposed railway would bypass Armenia, and thus not be beneficial to regional integration, we have no plans to support such a railway financially.' Legislation restricting US aid to the railway project due to the exclusion of Armenia has been introduced by Senators Rick Santorum (R-PA) and Robert Menendez (D-NJ) and has the support of Senate Deputy Majority Whip Wayne Allard (R-CO). Similar legislation in the House has been introduce by Reps. Joe Knollenberg (R-MI), Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and George Radanovich (R-CA) and currently has 82 cosponsors. In her response, Derse reiterated the State Department's support for `the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan' and noted, `the future status of Nagorno Karabagh is a matter of negotiations between the parties.' She stressed that both the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan have been forewarned that `any attempt at a military solution to the conflict would only deepen its tragic impact.' During the hearing, Chairman Lugar, who has visited the Caucasus and met with former Azeri President Heydar Aliyev, expressed concerns about democracy in Azerbaijan and transparency associated with the large influx of oil-wealth into that country. Derse responded that `promotion of democracy, freedom, and human rights is indeed a top priority in our relationship with Azerbaijan,' and went on to express a commitment to `working to promote transparent and accountable government, an independent judiciary and parliament--promotion of basic freedoms, including religious freedom and freedom of assembly.' Anne Derse is a Foreign Service Officer with more than a quarter century of experience. She most recently served as Director for Biodefense Policy at the Homeland Security Council. Her prior postings have included service as Minister Counselor for Economic Affairs at the US Embassy in Iraq and at the US Mission to the European Union. Derse also has held posts in the Philippines, South Korea, Belgium, and Singapore, among other locations. The complete text of Senator Sarbanes' questions and Derse's responses are provided below. Questions for the Record Submitted to Ambassador-Designate Anne Derse By Senator Paul Sarbanes Senate Foreign Relations Committee May 12, 2006 Question: What steps will you take in response to President Aliyev's increasingly belligerent rhetoric and actions, such as his threats to restart the war against Nagorno-Karabagh, his call for a return of Nagorno-Karabagh `no matter what it takes,' and his proposals for vast increases in military spending? What impact do you believe such actions will have on the prospects for a negotiated settlement in Nagorno-Karabagh? Answer: We support the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan and hold that the future status of Nagorno-Karabagh is a matter of negotiation between the parties. Despite promising indications at present, both Armenia and Azerbaijan have much to do to prepare their publics for the compromises any just agreement will entail. We have told the presidents of both countries that any attempt at a military solution to the conflict would only deepen its tragic impact. Although the Rambouillet meeting between the two presidents marked a temporary stall in negotiations, the process has gained momentum again with a series of individual visits by the Minsk Group Co-Chairs to the region. An agreement on Nagorno-Karabagh is within the grasp of the two presidents now. We believe that 2006 is the best window of opportunity for Presidents Aliyev and Kocharian to come to a mutually agreeable solution that will provide the basis for a lasting peace between their two countries. This will require acts of political courage by each president as they prepare their respective publics for a peace settlement. We hope the presidents will seize the opportunity to reach a peaceful settlement of the conflict soon so that the important work of post-conflict reconstruction and stabilization can begin. If confirmed, I plan to continue to work toward a settlement, along with my colleagues at the Department of State. Question: Despite US and international calls for regional cooperation and economic integration, Turkey and Azerbaijan continue their illegal decade-long blockade of land-locked Armenia. Azerbaijan and Turkey are now escalating this policy of isolation by planning to build a railroad line to connect Turkey and Azerbaijan, excluding Armenia. There is currently legislation pending that would prevent any US financing of the approximately $800 million venture. Do you intend to raise concerns about the railway? What steps will you take to end Azerbaijan's blockade of Armenia? Answer: The US Government strongly encourages regional integration in the Caucasus. Removing trade barriers would improve regional integration and enhance economic cooperation and development within and beyond the region. Regional integration should, of course, include all countries of the region. We have long believed that opening the border between Turkey and Armenia would contribute to the economies of both countries and to such important broader areas as energy security for Europe and Eurasia. Because the proposed railway would bypass Armenia, and thus not be beneficial to regional integration, we have no plans to support such a railway financially. If confirmed, I will strongly support the Administration's efforts to pursue regional integration for all countries in the region. Question: In the aftermath of September 11th, Congress granted the President limited and conditional authority to waive Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act, with the understanding that the administration would ensure military parity between Armenia and Azerbaijan. However, in this year's budget, the President requested over $1 million more in military aid for Azerbaijan than for Armenia. On what basis has the administration decided to depart from its previous commitment to provide equal amounts of military assistance for Armenia and Azerbaijan? Answer: It is US policy to ensure that our security assistance to Armenia and Azerbaijan does not affect the military balance between the two states, but it is not the Administration's view that military funding levels for Armenia and Azerbaijan should be identical. As Secretary Rice said recently in testimony before the House Foreign Operations Subcommittee on Appropriations, we believe slight differences in military assistance can be tolerated between Armenia and Azerbaijan. The waiver of Section 907 of the FREEDOM Support Act every year since 2002 has allowed us to provide military assistance that enhances Azerbaijan's interoperability with NATO and US forces and furthers US peacekeeping objectives, as well as assistance aimed at advancing democratic and market economic reform. Assistance to Armenia for similar purposes requires no waiver. As a Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group, our goal is to help Armenia and Azerbaijan achieve a peaceful resolution of the Nagorno-Karabagh conflict. Military assistance to both countries in light of that ongoing conflict is carefully considered and calibrated to ensure that it does not hamper ongoing efforts to negotiate a peaceful settlement between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Progress is being made in the negotiation process and we continue to view 2006 as the best window for the sides to reach an agreement. At the same time, we are strongly urging the presidents to prepare their publics for peace. We do not believe that the slight differences in military assistance in the FY 2007 budget request undermine prospects for peace or send the wrong message. Question: Do you believe that Azerbaijan deserved to be elected to the UN Human Rights Council? How did the US vote on Azerbaijan's candidacy? What steps will you take to improve respect for human rights in Azerbaijan? Answer: The vote of the United States on these issues is always confidential. We stand ready to work with all the new members of the UN Human Rights Council. We will urge Azerbaijan will use this opportunity to fulfill its commitments to make real progress on advancing democracy and improve fundamental respect for human rights both domestically and throughout the world. If confirmed, I will continue to urge the Government of Azerbaijan to fulfill its own human rights commitments, and will look for opportunities to advance this effort through diplomacy, programs, and other measures. 3) Prime Minister of Canada Congratulates ANCC for Opening of National Office OTTAWA--Stephen Harper, Prime Minister of Canada, has sent a congratulatory certificate to the Armenian National Committee of Canada (ANCC) on the occasion of the opening of its national office in Ottawa. The certificate recognizes the `profound' contributions of the Armenian community in Canada. `Your new permanent office in the nation's capital will ensure that Parliament and the Government of Canada are aware of the concerns and aspirations of Armenian-Canadians,' reads the certificate. Over 30 Members of Parliament and Senators, among them the Prime Minister's Parliamentary Secretary Jason Kenney and Bloc Québécois Leader Gilles Duceppe, attended ANCC's national office opening on April 25. `The Prime Minister's heartfelt sentiments and initiative are greatly appreciated by tens of thousand members and supporters of ANCC,' said Aris Babikian, the executive director of the Armenian National Committee of Canada. `We are proud and honored with our association and cooperation with the Prime Minister,' he said. `It is a great pleasure to see a government and a prime minister with such compassionate and principled feelings towards Canadians and their concerns.' 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. 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