HOUSE MULLS ARMENIAN RESOLUTION
Middle East Newsline, Canada
Sept 19 2005
WASHINGTON [MENL] — The House of Representatives was expected to
examine a resolution that blames Turkey for the genocide of Armenians
in World War I.
The House International Relations Committee has passed two resolutions
that blame the Ottoman Empire for the killing of about 1.5 million
Armenians in Turkey from 1915-1923. On Sept. 15, the committee voted
for the resolutions by wide margins despite warnings from the Bush
administration that this could harm U.S.-Turkish relations.
The resolutions demands that Turkey accept responsibility for
the killing of Armenians and that the U.S. president consider the
genocide in American foreign policy. The House panel also called for
U.S. commemoration of the Armenian genocide.
House International Relations Committee chairman Rep. Henry Hyde
voted for the resolutions. Hyde said the resolutions would not harm
relations with Turkey.

US COMMITTEE PASSES RESOLUTIONS RECOGNIZING ARMENIAN ALLEGATIONS
Journal of Turkish Weekly
Sept 19 2005
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The International Relations Committee of the U.S.
House of Representatives late Thursday adopted two resolutions
recognizing the Armenian ‘genocide’ allegations. The first resolution
was adopted by 35 votes to 11, and the second was adopted 40-7.
The International Relations Committee passed the resolutions despite
the U.S. Department of State sending the committee a letter opposing
this move.
Matthew Reynolds, U.S. acting assistant secretary of state for
legislative affairs, sent a letter to committee Chairman Henry Hyde
saying that the U.S. administration was against the adoption of
these resolutions.
In his letter, Reynolds also underlined that discussion of this matter
by the full House of Representatives was against national interests,
would harm Turkish-U.S. relations, and hamper the development of
relations between Ankara and Yerevan. Also, Reynolds said that the
U.S. not only continued to support the discussion of this matter by
scholars, diplomats, and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), but
also aims to encourage the Turkish and Armenian governments towards
forging economic and political dialogue.
Reynolds also said that these resolutions would harm the U.S. and
Turkeys’ concerted efforts in the Eastern Mediterranean, Caucasus,
Central Asia, and the Middle East. He underlined Turkey’s importance
in reinforcing democracy, tolerance, regional peace, and stability.
“I don’t believe that adoption of the resolutions would damage
bilateral relations,” replied Hyde. “Rejection of the ‘genocide’
reality can’t be justified. I particularly want to stress that Turkey
or Turkish people aren’t responsible for the alleged crime. I also want
to appreciate the Turkish government’s efforts for reconciliation.”
Armenian lobby in the US argues that the 1915 communal clashes and
other Armenian killings were ‘genocide while Turkey has never accepted
the accusations. Turkey argues that the events were a civil war and
under the war circumstances both Turks and Armenians were killed by
the armed groups. More than 520.000 Turkish and Kurdish were massacred
by the Armenian armed groups during the First World War.
Turkey was one of the first state who recognized the independent
Armenia in 1991. However when Armenian forces occupied about 20
percent of neighboring Azerbaijan, Turkey did not established
diplomatic relations with Yerevan and urged Armenia to withdraw
from the occupied territories. European Union and OSEC also urged
Armenians to withdraw and both institutions named Armenia ‘occupier’
in Karabakh region. Turkey, Azerbaijan and Georgia have very close
relations with the EU, US and Israel while Armenia has developed
close relations with Russia and Iran since the independence.
In United States there is a strong Armenian lobby and tries to affect
the Washington’s Turkey and Caucasus policies.

UNICEF’s PARTNERSHIP WITH MILLENNIUM ARMENIAN CHILDREN’S VACCINATION FUND HELPS SAVE CHILDREN’S LIVES
Armenpress
Sept 19, 2005
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 19, ARMENPRESS: Partnering with Armenian Diaspora
organizations such as the Millennium Armenian Children’s Vaccination
Fund (MACVF) is crucial for successful implementation of programs
benefiting children, UNICEF said today, speaking of the importance
of the vaccination program in Armenia.
“UNICEF values highly its partners in the Diaspora, and one of our
most important partnerships in Armenia is with the Millennium Armenian
Children’s Vaccination Fund. Financial support to UNICEF from MACVF
has enabled us to procure essential vaccines for Armenian children
and has helped to sustain the high immunization rate in the country,”
UNICEF Representative, Sheldon Yett noted.
UNICEF and the Millennium Armenian Children’s Vaccination Fund sealed
a long-term partnership agreement in 2002 in order to support the
implementation of the National Immunization Program in Armenia. The
agreement covers the 2002-2009 period during which the Millennium
Armenian Children’s Vaccination Fund pledged to provide 500,000 USD
for procurement of vaccines to prevent such deadly childhood diseases
as measles, mumps, rubella, tetanus and diphtheria.
MACVF has contributed over 100,000 USD to UNICEF to date. In 2005
alone, MACVF funding has enabled the immunization of approximately
100,000 children in Armenia against measles, mumps, rubella, tetanus
and diphtheria. The assistance provided by MACVF to children in
Armenia is invaluable and has helped protect thousands of children
from serious illness. Not only do these children benefit directly from
the vaccinations, but immunization also provides a mechanism through
which health services can make contact with children and women whom
they need to reach with other interventions, further enhancing the
value of immunizations.
“We will continue to strengthen our relationships with Armenian
Diaspora organizations and will seek their active involvement in
the implementation of programs that contribute to the achievement
of the Millennium Development Goals,” UNICEF Representative Sheldon
Yett stressed.

MORE THAN HALF WILL NOT PARTICIPATE IN THE ELECTIONS
A1+
| 12:32:10 | 19-09-2005 | Social |
The elections of the local governing bodies started yesterday. Before
the official data about the results of the elections and the percent
of participation of the electors we will represent the results of
our internet poll.
Asked the question “Will you participate in the upcoming elections of
local governing bodies” 55.8% of the readers said they would not. 34.2%
said they would. 6.1% said they would if they were not busy on the
election day. And 3.9% were undecided.
The poll question this week is “Will you participate in the
Constitutional Referendum? ” We expect your active participation.

COMSUP COMMODITIES PLEDGES 21 MILLION DRAMS TO MUNICIPALITY
Armenpress
Sept 19, 2005
KAPAN, SEPTEMBER 19, ARMENPRESS: The owners of a copper and molybdenum
plant in the southern Armenian Agarak, near the border with Iran,
have pledged to release 21 million Armenian drams to the town for
resolution of its social problems.
Each month the town will receive 1.7 million drams. The plan’s 100
percent shares were privatized in 2003 April by a US-based Comsup
Commodities which has invested $3.5 million in its modernization.

SOCHI MUSEUM REPLENISHED WITH WORKS OF ARMENIAN ART
Pan Armenian News
19.09.2005 03:43
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The exhibition of Armenian modern paintings and
graphic arts opened in the Sochi art museum, Yerkramas, the newspaper
of Armenians of Russia reported. Most of the exhibits are from
private collections and a part of them has been already presented to
the museum. The works are remarkable for bright national coloring and
maintain the traditions of the Armenian art. Besides, unique carpets,
three of which were woven in the 18-th century and one at the beginning
of the 20-th, are displayed. The art workers rate the opening of the
exhibition of Armenian modern paintings and graphic arts as an eminent
event. They confess that such generous gifts are given too rarely.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ERDOGAN EXPRESSED REGRET OVER ADOPTION OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE RESOLUTIONS BY U.S. HOUSE COMMITTEE
Pan Armenian News
19.09.2005 03:19
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed
regret over the adoption of two resolutions on the Armenian Genocide
by the U.S. House Committee. “The Turkish government hopes that
the resolutions will not be included in the agenda of the plenary
session of the House of Representatives”, Erdogan’s statement says,
RFE/RL reported.

UNICEF COOPERATING WITH THE ARMENIAN DIASPORA
A1+
| 13:22:48 | 19-09-2005 | Social |
YEREVAN, 19 September – Partnering with Armenian diaspora organizations
such as the Millennium Armenian Children’s Vaccination Fund (MACVF) is
crucial for successful implementation of programs benefiting children,
UNICEF said today, speaking of the importance of the vaccination
program in Armenia.
“UNICEF values highly its partners in the diaspora, and one of our
most important partnerships in Armenia is with the Millennium Armenian
Children’s Vaccination Fund. Financial support to UNICEF from MACVF
has enabled us to procure essential vaccines for Armenian children
and has helped to sustain the high immunization rate in the country,”
UNICEF Representative, Sheldon Yett noted.
UNICEF and the Millennium Armenian Children’s Vaccination Fund sealed
a long-term partnership agreement in 2002 in order to support the
implementation of the National Immunization Program in Armenia. The
agreement covers the 2002-2009 period during which the Millennium
Armenian Children’s Vaccination Fund pledged to provide 500,000 USD
for procurement of vaccines to prevent such deadly childhood diseases
as measles, mumps, rubella, tetanus and diphtheria.
MACVF has contributed over 100,000 USD to UNICEF to date. In 2005
alone, MACVF funding has enabled the immunization of approximately
100,000 children in Armenia against measles, mumps, rubella, tetanus
and diphtheria.
The assistance provided by MACVF to children in Armenia is invaluable
and has helped protect thousands of children from serious illness. Not
only do these children benefit directly from the vaccinations, but
immunization also provides a mechanism through which health services
can make contact with children and women whom they need to reach with
other interventions, further enhancing the value of immunizations.
“We will continue to strengthen our relationships with Armenian
diaspora organizations and will seek their active involvement in
the implementation of programs that contribute to the achievement
of the Millennium Development Goals,” UNICEF Representative Sheldon
Yett stressed.

WAITING FOR HOUSES
A1+
| 13:03:02 | 19-09-2005 | Regions |
The first phase of the House buying certificate program has finished. 1676
families have been informed about their right to receive a certificate but
only 420 have applied to get a certificate.
230 applications have been investigated. 14 families have received houses
and are waiting for the financing; the others are looking for houses.
Although it is difficult to buy a house today, the number of the applicants
has grown.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

OSKANIAN AND UKRAINIAN ACTING FM DISCUSSED “FROZEN CONFLICTS”
Pan Armenian News
19.09.2005 02:52
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ September 18, within the framework of the 60-th
sitting of the UN General Assembly Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan
Oskanian met in New York with Ukrainian acting FM Boris Tarasyuk,
Ukrainian media reported. The parties discussed bilateral political
and trade-economic cooperation.
Special attention was paid to the settlement of “frozen conflicts”
in the post soviet space. The Ministers exchanged information on
the Transdnetsrian and Karabakh conflicts. At that Vartan Oskanian
stated that progress in the settlement of the Transdnestrian conflict
will have a positive impact upon the resolution of other “frozen”
conflicts. By the interlocutor’s request B.
Tarasyuk provided information on the joint Georgian-Ukrainian
initiative on formation of Commonwealth of Democratic Choice and
convocation of a summit in Kyev this autumn.