Seattle Times,WA
May 12 2006
“Absurdistan”: Players in the fields of oil
By Tim McNulty
Special to The Seattle Times
“Absurdistan”
by Gary Shteyngart
Random House, 333 pp., $24.95
Russian émigré Gary Shteyngart burst upon the literary scene in 2002
with his rollicking and bitingly satirical debut novel, “The Russian
Debutante’s Handbook.” Its hero, like its author, was born in
Communist Leningrad, raised in Reagan ’80s America and flounders
about wildly in the turgid cultural gulf between them.
Misha Vainberg, the self-absorbed hero of Shteyngart’s hilarious new
novel, “Absurdistan,” is also a misplaced Russian. His comic
misadventures on two continents bring post-Soviet Russia and
corporate America into the crosshairs of the author’s outlandish wit.
“Absurdistan” is a brilliant, fast-paced and idiosyncratic novel that
swerves frighteningly close to dead-on political reporting. It is
black humor at its darkest.
Vainberg (aka “Snack Daddy” for his vast appetites) is the 325-pound,
melancholic son of a Russian mobster and oligarch (the 1,238th
richest man in Russia). Misha was educated at “Accidental College” in
the American Midwest but finds his true home in a Wall Street loft in
slacker Manhattan with his voluptuous South Bronx girlfriend,
Rouenna.
There is no reason for Misha to return to St. Petersburg, with its
“bizarre peasant huts fashioned out of corrugated metal and plywood
colonizing the broad avenues.” But his “Beloved Papa” misses him, so
he goes. When Papa assassinates an Oklahoma businessman over a
percentage stake in a nutria farm, and then gets whacked himself (for
other, unrelated business dealings), Misha’s world constricts.
Author appearance
Gary Shteyngart will read from “Absurdistan” at 7 p.m. Thursday at
Third Place Books in Lake Forest Park (206-366-3333;
).
Denied a visa to re-enter the U.S., he is forced by circumstance to
travel to Absurdistan, a small, desperately poor but oil-rich fiefdom
wedged against the Caspian Sea. His singular mission there is to
purchase a phony European passport from a crooked Belgian consular
official (price: $240,000).
Life in Absurdistan takes an unfortunate turn for Misha shortly after
he checks in to his penthouse suite at the Hyatt. He finds himself
surrounded by Texas oilmen, Halliburton contractors and the busy
minions of Kellogg, Brown & Root. Svelte Absurdi hookers ply the
hallways, their faces “as powdered as an American doughnut.” The view
from his suite, however, is over rusted oil derricks and the brown,
alkaline shore that hems the capital city. A rock headland across the
bay is honeycombed with drab, concrete Soviet-era apartment complexes
that warehouse Absurdistan’s abundant poorer classes.
When civil war erupts between the ethnic Sevo and Svanï minorities (a
centuries-old religious dispute over the angle of Christ’s footrest
on the cross), Misha is trapped in the city. The inconvenience is
sufferable. He has a good supply of Atavan and the bar is kept
stocked with Johnnie Walker Black. American Express still rules,
after all. But when the governing elites hire Armenian mercenaries to
begin shelling the ethnic neighborhoods from the hotel roof, all hell
breaks loose.
Misha is embraced by a garrulous warlord with former KGB ties and
appointed minister of multicultural affairs. Misha’s innocence
throughout all this is rather charming. Oblivious to the political
treachery swirling around him, his only goal is to return to his
darling Rouenna in New York.
It may seem unlikely, but Shteyngart is able to create endearing
characters who draw the reader in despite their shabby pursuits. He
also paints a vivid and brutal picture of the kind of strife that
rakes Third-World oil countries, and he spares no reproach for the
American interests that bleed them, supply the weaponry and profit
from reconstruction.
In fact, there is something disturbingly familiar about Absurdistan.
Shteyngart’s wacky vision of a post-Cold War world sinking beneath
the weight of the American Century is not far from the mark.
Tim McNulty’s most recent book of poetry, “Through High Still Air,”
was published last fall. He lives on the Olympic Peninsula.

AzerTag, Azerbaijan
May 12 2006
AZERBAIJANI FM: AZERBAIJAN TO REMAIN COMMITTED TO ITS PRINCIPLED
STAND
[May 12, 2006, 12:03:32]
Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan Elmar Mammadyarov met May 11 with
special envoy of the OSCE chairman-in-office Pierre Chevalie to
discuss Azerbaijan-OSCE cooperation, negotiations on the
Armenia-Azerbaijan-Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, socio-political
reforms, large-scale energy projects and other issues.
Speaking of Armenia-Azerbaijan, Nagorno-Karabakh conflict Minister E.
Mammadyarov stressed a need to settle the problem in line with
international law and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan. According
to him, Azerbaijan will be committed to its principled stand during
the meeting of foreign ministers of both countries slated for late
May in Strasbourg.
Pierre Chevalier hoped for better results of the negotiations
mediated by international organizations, in particular, OSCE Mink
Group.
The meeting also focused on other issues of mutual interest.

Turkish Press
May 11 2006
Press Review
MILLIYET
FRENCH PARLIAMENT COMMISSION REJECTS ARMENIAN BILL
The Foreign Relations Commission of France’s Parliament yesterday
rejected a bill to criminalize denial of the so-called Armenian
genocide. However, the bill is still set to be considered by the
General Assembly next Thursday. /Milliyet/
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Turkish Press
May 11 2006
Press Review
TURKIYE
ARINC: `IN ADDITION TO HINDERING TURKEY’S EU BID, THE ARMENIAN BILL
IS ALSO MEANT FOR DOMESTIC POLITICAL CONSUMPTION’
Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc said yesterday that France’s Armenian
bill wasn’t meant solely to hinder Turkey’s European Union membership
bid, but also was meant for domestic political consumption. Saying
that Turkish parliamentarians were lobbying in Paris against the
bill, he added that he thought the bill would be rejected by the
French Parliament next Thursday. This bill disappoints Ankara, he
stated, warning that this would be taken into consideration in
relations. In related news, opposition True Path Party (DYP) leader
Mehmet Agar said that he hoped the bill won’t pass. `Such initiatives
can hurt Turkish-French relations,’ added Agar. /Turkiye/

Turkish Press
May 11 2006
Press Review
TURKIYE
IN FRANCE, GENDARMERIE COMMANDER TO WARN APPROVAL OF ARMENIAN BILL
WOULD HURT TIES; FRENCH BUSINESSMEN PRESS FOR WITHDRAWAL OF BILL
Gendarmerie General Commander Fevzi Turkeri, currently in France for
an official visit, is set to tell his French counterparts that Ankara
is very sensitive about the so-called Armenian genocide issue. He is
expected to meet with his counterparts and say that approval of the
Armenian bill by France’s Parliament would hurt relations between the
two countries. In related news, leading French businessmen say that
the Armenian bill should be withdrawn as soon as possible, warning
that France could lose the Turkish market worth $4.7 billion.
/Turkiye/
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Arka News Agency, Armenia
May 11 2006
ARMENIAN PRESIDENT RECEIVES KILIKIA ARMENIAN SHIP’S CREW
YEREVAN, May 11. /ARKA/. Armenian President Robert Kocharyan received
Thursday Kilikia Armenian ship’s crew, presidential press service
told ARKA News Agency. The crew members will travel to London on May
14 to prepare the ship for voyage.
President Kocharyan wished them good luck in their voyage. He said
that negotiations with special overseas companies over construction
of a berth in Lake Sevan are under way now.
The crew members discussed with Kocharyan yachting development
prospects in Armenia. The President pledged support.
At the moment, the ship is in a British harbor. It will start its
voyage on May 28, cross Northern Sea and Baltic Sea and reach Saint
Petersburg in August. Then the ship will sail through river way to
Georgian harbor of Poti. Eventually the ship will be brought to
Armenia.
Kilikia is constructed by Hayas, Yerevan Sea Exploration Club, like
trade ships of 13 century, on which Kilikian merchants sailed.
The ship construction took 11 years – from May 1991 to May 2001. M.V.
-0—
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Arka News Agency, Armenia
May 11 2006
ARMENIA, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES ACCOMPLISH IN DEVELOPING BILATERAL
RELATIONS
YEREVAN, May 11. /ARKA/. Armenia and the United Arab Emirates have
accomplished a great deal for recent years in developing bilateral
relations, Armenian President Robert Kocharyan said Thursday at his
meeting with the UAE Ambassador to Armenia Halifa Shahin Al-Merri.
Presidential press service says Kocharyan pointed out that the
relations between the countries are developing dynamically and
stressed the importance of investment programs implementation along
with trade contacts development.
The press release says the sides also discussed prospects of widening
room for joint programs. M.V. -0–

ARTHUR BAGHDASARIAN HAD INFRINGED THE CONVENTION

Aravot.am
12 May 06

The NDU leader, deputy of `Justice’ bloc Vazgen Manoukian considers OEP
collapse as the fight of lieutenant Schmidt’s sons.

In your opinion whose revenge was the `OEP’collapse, Robert
Kocharian’s, whose foreign political positions Arthur Baghdasarian
opposed or the RPA and Government’s whose speculations Arthur
Baghdasarian detected?
The authorities don’t get so angry with the expression of different
opinions about the policy. Simply as the convention of lieutenant
Schmidt’s sons coalition powers also have internal arrangements, rules
of the game by which they have come to the authority. And if anybody
infringes those arrangements he must be punished. They have found the
way of punishment for other not to do the same. On the other hand
there is `Bolivar won’t take both of them» factor.
So taking businessmen from the OEP, was it decided who became the
winner for the post of the succeedent in Serge Sargsian-Arthur
Baghdasarian contest? I think Arthur Baghdasarian hasn’t touched the
problem on this occasion.
Now he has a unique opportunity to produce to the West as the Armenian
Sahakashvili or Yushchenko who fought inside the authority for his
pro-western views and suffered of it. In your opinion if he uses that
opportunity maybe the West will be for his candidacy in the
presidential elections?
And who isn’t pro-western in his declarations. All authority groups
declare that our aim is to become the EU member etc. And it isn’t so,
that others aren’t so pro-western but Arthur Baghdasarian
is. Everybody wants to take on that «cloth». Every
country has its heroes. Our country has been specific up to the
present day and will remain so.
My question can be considered naive, but maybe those businessmen
haven’t been coordinated, they all deny that pressure has been used on
them. Maybe those businessmen who had found a political support for
securing their property, left the OEP because of the change of
weather?
But why didn’t they enter in `Orinats Erkir’ at the beginning and not
to the NDU. They had read the projects and considered that the OEP
project was more profitable for Armenia. No. They had entered into OEP
because it was the part of the authority; the ruling clique proves
it. But when OEP looses the authority, those people must leave it. If
they can’t take advantages from the authority why should they stay
there? Perhaps it is coordinated or they have decided themselves but
it is very natural process.
A week was enough to destroy the party. In your opinion how many time
will be enough for destroying next authority parties, RPA and ARF?
Dashnaktsutiun is less possible as it has a strong caste structure
inside it. And if the ARF is Robert Kocharian’s political ground the
base of this authority is the RPA. It can cause a feeling of danger at
Robert Kocharian and Serge Sargsian. And in that case the ARF won’t be
destroyed but will make its power weaken, divide into some parties. So
it isn’t accidental that Gagik Tsarukian’s and public prosecutor’s
parties will act in the same field.
Do you also think that the NA chairman must call for a vote of
confidence and send in his resignation?
I don’t agree with it. It is adopted in such cases that the NA
chairman doesn ‘t send in his resignation, doesn’t leave the
parliamentary system but leaves the system of governing that is the
coalition.
Do you think that Arthur Baghdasarian will remain the NA chairman
leaving the coalition?
Yes I do, if he isn’t dismissed. There is no contradiction
here. Especially when the NA chairman can have an opinion which
doesn’t correspond with the Presiden’t opinion on the foreign policy,
it isn’t a reason for the NA chairman’s resignation. The government is
another thing. It is a unified body of adopting decisions and the
members of the government doesn’t have right to express discrepant
positions.
Let’s summarize, should we meet with sympathy the OEP, which intended
to be a reformer in the authority, or they have already adopted the
rules of the game by which they were revenged?
There is no point of sympathy. They have indeed adopted the rules of
this game. There is some sort of thievish rules and those who infringe
it are punished.
Anna Israelian

El Vaquero, CA
May 12 2006
Congressman Explains `Getting Into Politics’
By JANE POJAWA
El Vaquero Editor in Chief
May 12, 2006
Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff, representing California’s 29th District,
spoke in the J.W. Smith Student Center Monday on `Getting into
Politics,’ giving advice to students about getting their voices heard
as citizens or for actually becoming an elected official.
The 29th district is a sprawling area that encompasses Glendale, as
well as Alhambra, Altadena, Burbank, Griffith Park, Monterey Park,
Pasadena, South Pasadena, San Gabriel and Temple City.
More than 100 students and faculty members filled the student center
for this event, sponsored by the Organization of Latinos for Higher
Education [OHLE], which was a short biographical speech followed by
questions from the audience.
Schiff was an adjunct instructor in GCC’s political science
department while serving as a state senator for California’s 21st
district, his position before election to the House of
Representatives. He is a strong proponent of educational and
environmental issues.
Schiff recommends student involvement at all levels of politics,
whether that means voting (even for those who usually don’t), working
on campaigns, providing grassroot support for bond measures, which
often pass by only a small number of votes, to ultimately running for
office.
Schiff recommended that students who want to pursue a career in
politics `decide what you have a passion to do and then go after it.’
He said that the typical example of political science major followed
by law school was no longer the operative model for success, and that
his colleagues in the House of Representatives were just as likely to
have been accomplished `teachers, athletes, lawyers, doctors,
engineers, even a rocket scientist.’ The common denominator is that
they `are good at what they do.’ He added, `There will always be an
opportunity down the road to serve.’
Schiff is an outspoken advocate against genocide denial and believes
that the United States should condemn the 1915 Armenian genocide
regardless of pressure from the Turkish government.
In answer to a question posed during his speech about his proposed
Armenian genocide bill, Schiff described adding an amendment to a
reauthorization of a State Department bill asking the Historian of
the State Department to review the pertinent documents of the United
States to the Armenian genocide.
The state department bill was not directly related to the genocide,
but `it just happened to be my good fortune that the Turkish Prime
Minister was in town…’ he recounted, and went on to describe how the
political pressure brought to bear by his amendment allowed the bill
to be reviewed at a separate hearing. The Dedicated Genocide
Resolution passed the committee with a strong bipartisan vote, but
until the Speaker of the House allows it to come before Congress, it
goes no further.
Although the overall tone of the meeting was positive and upbeat,
some of the queries fielded by Schiff questioned his accountability
in the Iraq War [he voted to authorize the use of force based on the
intelligence reports of weapons of mass destruction but has since
changed his position] and on a peculiar note, his feelings about the
1994 parole of Lyndon LaRouche (Schiff was not associated with
LaRouche’s conviction or parole, and turned the discussion to
globalization and economics).
Schiff is opposed to invading Iran, in favor of increasing funding to
schools and believes in immigration reform.
`I believe that the magnitude of the rallies got everyone’s
attention,’ he said.
He favors the Kennedy-McCain Bill, which allows for immigrants living
in the United States to become legal through a six-year application
process the `Essential Worker Visa Program’ that includes background
checks and documented gainful employment, among other requirements,
but does not believe that legislation will pass both the senate and
the house this year.
`In the past, the United States has been the beneficiary of the brain
drain of the rest of the world,’ the congressman said. He is
concerned that not only is the United States not cultivating
scientists and engineers, but that new immigration policies actively
discourage the best and brightest of other countries from emigrating.
He also spoke of U.S.-Chinese relations and the importance of
cultivating `not only free trade, but fair trade,’ citing examples of
how Chinese policies keep the entertainment industry from competing
on an even playing field.
Students looking for a political internship program will be pleased
to hear that there are unpaid positions available at his offices in
Pasadena and in Washington, D.C. It may be the perfect way to `get
into politics.’

ASBAREZ ONLINE
TOP STORIES
05/12/2006
TO ACCESS PREVIOUS ASBAREZ ONLINE EDITIONS PLEASE VISIT OUR
WEBSITE AT <;HTTP://WWW.ASBAREZ. COM 1) Communities Unite in Support of ANCA Telethon 2) Orinats Yerkir Leader Confirms Resignation; Avoids Blaming Kocharian 3) Honorary Presidents of 31st Navasartian Games Donate $50,000 to Homenetmen 4) Armenian And Hellenic Caucus Leaders Join Together In Opposing Missile Sale To Turkey 1) Communities Unite in Support of ANCA Telethon (Washington, DC)--Armenian Communities and organizations across the United States are uniting in overwhelming support of the May 21st Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) Telethon. In the last several weeks, individual communities have mobilized to build support for the Telethon including early community-level local fundraising initiatives. With less than a week before the Telethon air date, there is a groundswell of widespread interest across the entire spectrum of community organizations coming together with a united purpose of supporting the Armenian Cause, "Hai Tad." With this in mind, representatives of various communities and organizations are planning on appearing live during the Telethon to show their moral and financial support. The Telethon will be on May 21 from 3-9 PM Pacific Time (6 PM-Midnight Eastern Time) and will be broadcast nationally on i Network (formerly known as the PAX network which can be viewed on local cable systems); Horizon TV, which is carried on cable and the DISH satellite network; and will be web cast on <; Viewers can go to the Telethon page of the ANCA website (<;) where they will find a station locator by entering their zip code to obtain local channel details. "Representatives from communities throughout the United States will be traveling to Los Angeles to participate in the Telethon live," said Raffi Hamparian, member of the ANCA National Board and Telethon Organizing Committee. "The Telethon has touched a common emotion and desire in people to support the Armenian Cause in all the different parts of our communities, regardless of organizational affiliations or politics. It is worthwhile to note this very positive development because 'Hai Tad' is a calling that should be awakened in every Armenian. As the Telethon will demonstrate, we all have an important and critical role to play." Representatives from ANCs, community organizations, churches and performing artists from across the nation are scheduled to appear during the Telethon in addition to an unprecedented number of public officials including mayors and representatives from city and state governments; dozens of members of Congress and the Congressional Armenian Caucus; and leaders from the Republic of Armenia. Representatives of ANCA chapters around the nation will show the tangible results of their grassroots advocacy and activism during the broadcast with in-depth documentaries about the many activities on Armenian issues in every community. "We are eager to share the progress we are making in Pennsylvania on key issues of importance to the Armenian community and that's why I'll be making the trip to Los Angeles for the Telethon," said Dr. Ara Chalian, Co-Chair of the ANC of Pennsylvania. "The surge in interest and activism demonstrates we're on the right track and when we put the additional financial resources behind our volunteer work of our grassroots network we will see even greater results. That's what makes this Telethon so critical to our united future." To make a donation in advance of the May 21st ANCA Telethon or find out channel information, call 1-866-402-2622 (ANCA) or go to <; and click on the Telethon logo to make a donation online. 2) Orinats Yerkir Leader Confirms Resignation; Avoids Blaming Kocharian (Combined sources)--Armenians parliament speaker Artur Baghdasarian was careful to avoid any attacks on President Robert Kocharian on Friday as he officially announced his Orinats Yerkir Party's departure from the governing coalition and its transformation into an `opposition force.' Baghdasarian dismissed reports that the dramatic collapse of his parliament faction was engineered by Kocharian. He insisted that he decided to resign and pull Orinats Yerkir out of the coalition because of major policy differences with the country's leadership. `It is morally right for me to tender my resignation and for our political team to leave the coalition,' he told a news conference. `All Orinats Yerkir members holding [government] posts must also resign. This is the decision unanimously taken by our political council.' The party's exit was followed with defections of about a dozen Orinats Yerkir lawmakers which caused the party's faction, the second largest in the National Assembly, to shrink by half. According to some senior members of the Armenian coalition, their departure was initiated by Kocharian with the aim of forcing Orinats Yerkir out of his government. Presidential press secretary Victor Soghomonian denied this on Friday. `I don't want to comment on gossip,' he said. `A change in the ruling coalition is an ordinary phenomenon for any civilized country. So in this case, nothing very extraordinary has happened, especially given the fact that there were some disagreements within the coalition and they understandably deepened during the pre-election period.' Baghdasarian said that the defectors had come under unspecified `pressure' to leave Orinats Yerkir and caved in because of `an atmosphere of fear that stifles dissent' in Armenia. `Everything is clear to everyone. Was there pressure? Yes, there was. From all sides,' he said. At the same time, Baghdasarian insisted that the Armenian leader played no part in the process. `There was no such thing,' he said. `We have for months had disagreements on different issues, including with the president of the republic.' Baghdasarian added that those differences have centered on the Kocharian administration's socioeconomic and foreign policies as well as `democratic reforms' which he believes need to be carried out in Armenia. He refused to go into details. The speaker, who was at one point regarded as one of Kocharian's potential successors, and his party have repeatedly criticized the government and had an uneasy relationship with its coalition partners ever since they signed a power-sharing agreement three years ago. Orinats Yerkir's exit from power appears to have been precipitated by Baghdasarian's recent interview with a German newspaper in which he called for Armenia's accession to NATO and implied that Kocharian's reelection in 2003 was fraudulent. `Of course we are becoming an opposition force. There is no question about that,' said Baghdasarian. But he would not specify whether he is ready to align himself with Armenia's mainstream opposition groups that have long challenged Kocharian. Leaders of those groups seem to remain mistrustful of Orinats Yerkir. Stepan Demirchian of the opposition Artarutyun alliance said the bloc will consider cooperating with Baghdasarian's party only if it becomes a `real opposition force.' Another Artarutyun figure, Vazgen Manukian, referred to Orinats Yerkir as a `party artificially created and artificially broken up' by the authorities. Another prominent oppositionist, Artashes Geghamian of the National Unity Party, was even more dismissive of Orinats Yerkir, alleging that it had been created by the influential Defense Minister Serge Sarkisian. `We are confident that what happened will not lead to an internal political crisis,' said Soghomonian. `The so-called divorce took place in an open and civilized atmosphere. Both the government and the National Assembly will continue to work in a normal regime.' `The resignation was tendered voluntarily,' said Dashnaktsutyun (ARF) leader Armen Rustamian. `It was not a punishment. It was a normal political event.' Orinats Yerkir's exit leaves the HHK and Dashnaktsutyun in direct control of only 51 of the 131 parliament seats. But Rustamian was confident that the restructured coalition will rely on other pro-Kocharian factions to push government decisions through the National Assembly. He said none of them will likely get ministerial posts in return for the backing. Rustamian also did not rule out the possibility of Dashnaktsutyun taking over some of the senior positions that have been held by Orinats Yerkir until now. `We have not made such a clear-cut decision,' he said. `But I don't rule out that the discussions will lead to such a reshuffle.' The Armenian parliament is expected to accept its speaker's resignation when it resumes its sessions on May 22. Deputy speaker Tigran Torosian, who is a leading member of the governing Republican Party, will perform Baghdasarian's duties in interim. 3) Honorary Presidents of 31st Navasartian Games Donate $50,000 to Homenetmen Longtime Homenetemen members and supporters Mr. and Mrs. Joseph and Elo Boyadjian were appointed Wednesday Honorary Presidents of the 31st Navasartian Games and donated, on this occasion, $50,000 to Homenetmen, said Regional Executive Chairman Raffi Ispenjian. During the ceremony at Note Luna restaurant in Glendale, the couple humbly accepted their appointment as Honorary Presidents and reaffirmed their belief in the role Homenetmen plays in our community and the mission of the organization. `Elo and I will try our best to help out in any way possible and make sure that this year's Homenetemen Navasartian Games are a success,' said Joseph Boyadjian. Joseph Boyadjian has been a member of Homenetemen since his youth in Lebanon, where he played soccer for the organization. He is currently a member of the Pasadena `Azadamard' chapter of Homenetemen. Both Joseph and Elo Boyadjian have consistently been active in the Armenian community and are highly respected within the community for their many contributions. 4) Armenian And Hellenic Caucus Leaders Join Together In Opposing Missile Sale To Turkey --Reps. Bilirakis, Pallone, Radanovich, and Maloney Warn that SLAM-ER Missile Transfer Will Undermine Cyprus Peace Process and Threaten Armenia (WASHINGTON, DC)--The Co-Chairpersons of the Hellenic Caucus, Reps. Michael Bilirakis (R-FL) and Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), were joined Thursday by Armenian Caucus Co-Chairman Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and Armenian Genocide Resolution lead sponsor George Radanovich (R-CA) in calling on Congressional leaders to reexamine a controversial $162 million US missile sale to Turkey. In letters addressed to the Chairmen and Ranking Members of the House Armed Services and International Relations Committees, the four legislators voiced their "deep concern and opposition to the application currently before your Committee for the foreign military sale to Turkey of 50 AGM 84K Joint Standoff Land Attack Missiles - Expanded Response (SLAM-ER) and associated equipment and services." Noting that Turkey has enforced an illegal blockade against Armenia for the last twelve years, provides support to Azerbaijan against Nagorno Karabagh, and refuses to normalize relations with Armenia, they stressed that, "there are no safeguards in place to ensure that the transfer of these advanced new weapons to Turkey will not be used to threaten Armenia." Commenting on the presence of more than 40,000 Turkish military troops in the Turkish-occupied area of Cyprus, the legislators argued that the sale would "exacerbate the already existing military imbalance over Cyprus," and "worsen the uneasy, insecure and disadvantaged position of the Republic of Cyprus in terms of its defense and weapons proliferation." They closed the letter by requesting a "thorough reexamination of all factors pertaining to the sale" of the missiles to Turkey. "We join with our friends at the American Hellenic Institute in thanking Representatives Bilirakis, Pallone, Maloney, and Radanovich in calling for a careful review of this ill-advised and destabilizing arms sale to an already over-armed Turkish military," said Aram Hamparian, Executive Director of the ANCA. "Neither US interests nor American values are served by providing advanced offensive weapons to a government that used US arms to invade Cyprus in 1974, transferred weapons to Azerbaijan during the Nagorno Karabagh conflict, regularly invades Greek airspace over the Aegean Sea, and has used American military equipment in committing human rights abuses against its own citizens." The full text of the Congressional letter is provided below. Dear Mr. Chairman: We are writing to express our deep concern and opposition to the application currently before your Committee for the foreign military sale to Turkey of 50 AGM 84K Joint Standoff Land Attack Missiles - Expanded Response (SLAM-ER) and associated equipment and services. Considering the presence of more than 40,000 Turkish military troops in the Turkish-occupied area of Cyprus, this particular sale - if materialized - will exacerbate the already existing military imbalance over Cyprus. It will worsen the uneasy, insecure and disadvantaged position of the Republic of Cyprus in terms of its defense and weapons proliferation. We also believe that US approval of this sale will negatively influence the ongoing efforts of the Administration to encourage a negotiated settlement of the Cyprus question. Support for the sale could be perceived as adversely affecting our third-party role in helping to bring the interested parties together. Turkey has also has enforced an illegal blockade against Armenia for the last twelve years, continues to provide support to Azerbaijan against Nagorno Karabagh, and refuses to normalize relations with Armenia. There are no safeguards in place to ensure that the transfer of these advanced new weapons to Turkey will not be used to threaten Armenia. This potential sale sends the wrong political message at the wrong time to Turkey and the neighboring countries. In a time of delicate diplomatic balance by the United States in that region of the world, the sale of this particular weapon to Turkey runs the real danger of being seen by the other countries of concern as a politically insensitive move. We therefore request a thorough reexamination of all factors pertaining to the sale of the cruise missiles to Turkey. Thank you for your attention to this matter. Michael Bilirakis Co-Chair, Hellenic Caucus Frank Pallone Co-Chair, Armenian Caucus Carolyn Maloney Co-Chair, Hellenic Caucus George Radanovich Member, Armenian Caucus All subscription inquiries and changes must be made through the proper carrier and not Asbarez Online. ASBAREZ ONLINE does not transmit address changes and subscription requests. (c) 2006 ASBAREZ ONLINE. All Rights Reserved. ASBAREZ provides this news service to ARMENIAN NEWS NETWORK members for academic research or personal use only and may not be reproduced in or through mass media outlets.