PRESS RELEASE
Western Prelacy
of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America
Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian
Prelate, Western United States
6252 Honolulu Avenue
La Crescenta, CA 91214
Tel: (818) 248-7737
Fax: (818) 248-7745
Email: [email protected]
For more information:
Zanku Armenian (818) 243-3557
Mercata Group
His Holiness Aram I to Preside Over USC Symposium
Important Conference Will Focus on Christian Response to Violence

(Los Angeles, CA – September 15, 2005) – The University of Southern
California will be the site of a major conference that His Holiness Aram I,
Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia, will preside over, focusing on the
Christian response to violence with a special emphasis on the Armenian
Genocide. Co-sponsored by the Western Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic
Church, the USC Institute of Armenian Studies and the
USC Center for Religion & Civic Culture, the conference is one of several
public forums during which His Holiness will address such issues under the
theme of his visit “Towards the Light of Knowledge.”
Many notable scholars will speak on various related topics covering events
ranging from the Armenian Genocide of 1915 to the current impact of violence
on the daily lives of communities, families and youth today. His Holiness
Aram I is deeply involved in the World Council of Churches where he has
demonstrated leadership in confronting issues of violence throughout the
world and it is his desire to drive discussions on this issue within
Armenian communities as well. He will address the symposium with a
presentation entitled, “Christian Stewardship in Violent Times – The Quest
for Peace.”

“The church has been witness to the racial violence the Armenian people have
suffered throughout the course of history and especially with the Armenian
Genocide,” said Prelate, His Eminence Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian.
“With this year marking the 90th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, the
church has an even more important role to play today in addressing many of
these violence issues facing our communities and families throughout the
world.”

Among the scholars presenting at the conference will be Professor Hrair
Dekmejian of the USC Department of Political Science and Director of the USC
Institute of Armenian Studies who will speak about “Christian Perspectives
on War and Political Violence;” Professor Donald Miller, Director, USC
School of Religion & Center for Religion & Civic Culture who will set the
parameters of the conference and moderate one of the panels; and Simon
Payaslian, Professor of Armenian Genocide Studies, Clark University on “The
Church Bearing Witness to the Genocide of 1915: Martyrdom, Resistance,
Remembrance.” There will also be two panel discussions during the symposium
including, “The Church’s Response to Political Violence in Today’s World”
with presenters Dr. Rubina Peroomian, UCLA and member of the World Affairs
Council central committee and Mrs. Lorna Tourian; and “The Church’s Role in
Combating Community Violence” with presenters Dr. Levon Jernazian; Dr. Viken
Yacoubian; and Dr. Garbis Der Yeghiayan. Following the symposium will be an
exhibit by Research on Armenian Architecture (RAA) on “Cultural Genocide –
The Destruction of Armenia’s Religious and Cultural Heritage.”

The USC Symposium will be held on October 15, 2005 10:00 AM to 3:30 PM at
USC’s Davidson Conference Center, in the Embassy Room, on the corner of
Jefferson and Figueroa Streets in Los Angeles. Space is limited, so those
interested in attending should call the Prelacy office at (818) 248-7737, or
e-mail: [email protected].
# # #

MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA
—————————————— —-
PRESS AND INFORMATION DEPARTMENT
375010 Telephone: +37410. 544041 ext 202
Fax: +37410. 562543
Email: [email protected]:
PRESS RELEASE
16-09-2005
Bilateral Meetings of the Foreign Minister Oskanian in New York
Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian held several bilateral meetings on his
first working day in New York, where he is accompanying Prime Minister
Andranik Margaryan to the 60th anniversary of the UN General Assembly.
On Thursday, the Foreign Minister met with Benita Ferrero-Waldner, European
Union Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighborhood Policy.
They spoke about the ENP. The Minister briefed the Commissioner on the
current state of negotiations regarding the Nagorno Karabakh conflict.
Minister Oskanian also met with George Iacovou, Minister of Foreign Affairs
of Cyprus. They discussed regional issues as well as cooperation in
international organizations. Later, Minister Oskanian met with Ahmed Aboul
Gheit, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Egypt. Minister Oskanian presented to
Minister Aboul Gheit President Kocharian?s letter of congratulations to
Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. The two discussed developments in the
Middle East, and in the Caucasus.
Minister Oskanian spoke with Pierre Chevalier, Belgium?s special envoy to
the OSCE. The Minister explained Armenia?s cooperation with the OSCE at
various levels, expressing Armenia?s appreciation for OSCE support in
various areas, including democratic development, regional development. The
Minister briefed Ambassador Chevalier on the ongoing Karabakh talks and
prospects for a resolution.
In the margins of the UN General Assembly, the Francophonie Association held
a high level meeting. Minister Oskanian participated in the meeting which
focused on ways the developed world can help the developing world to
alleviate poverty.
The Minister also held a working meeting with OSCE Minsk Group US co-chair
Ambassador Steven Mann.
Prime Minister Margaryan will address the General Assembly on Friday,
September 16, and Foreign Minister Oskanian will do so on Sunday, September
18.

PRESS RELEASE
The National Citizens’ Initiative
75 Yerznkian Street
Yerevan 375033, Armenia
Tel.: (+374 – 10) 27.16.00, 27.00.03
Fax: (+374 – 10) 52.48.46
E-mail: [email protected]
Website:
September 15, 2005
National Citizens’ Initiative Examines the Role of Women in Politics
Yerevan–The National Citizens’ Initiative (NCI) today convened a roundtable
on “Women in Politics.” The meeting brought together public and political
figures, community activists, analysts, experts, and media representatives.
Raffi K. Hovannisian, chairman of the Heritage Party and founder of NCI,
welcomed the audience with opening remarks and wished the participants
productive work. “Pursuant to its program focus on securing broad civil
participation and public empowerment and in particular on underscoring women
‘s and youth issues, NCI today enters a new phase.” Speaking about the role
played by Armenian women since the days of the first Republic of Armenia,
during the Soviet era, and in modern Armenia, he pointed out that women have
always been involved in politics, though their presence has carried largely
qualitative, not quantitative importance. “Armenia’s challenge in the new
age is to reconcile contemporary criteria and traditional values in a
societally healthy way,” Hovannisian said. By way of example, he recognized
the lady activists around the table and lauded their multiple qualities as
citizens, professionals, intellectuals, and family leaders.
The first speaker was Ruzan Khachaturian, the “Justice” alliance’s press
secretary and a candidate running for the post of Kentron district prefect
of Yerevan. In her intervention entitled “The Role of Women in the Fight for
Constitutional Order and Restoration of Legitimacy,” she mentioned that one
of the impediments standing in the way of establishing democracy in the
country is the fact that the halls of power have taken on an accentuated
male form which is often cruel and uses black PR in political processes.
According to Khachaturian, women are powerless and defenseless against them.
“Women refuse to utilize those methods which are employed today by some
Armenian politicians in order to keep their jobs and posts,” Khachaturian
said, describing her candidacy as a challenge against such type of
authority. In the words of Ruzan Khachaturian, the way out of this situation
lies in solidarity among women.
During her talk on “Women in Politics: The Unrevealed Civil Potential,”
chairwoman Nora Hakobian of the Women’s Republican Council presented some
compelling statistics. For instance, a bit better than the Vatican and San
Marino, Armenia comes in third from last in the rating chart published by
the Council of Europe which reflects the percentage of women’s involvement
in sociopolitical life. The other indices testify to the lack of women’s
participation in the Armenian experience. According to official statistical
data, women make up 51.8% of the entire population, 64% of those having a
university education, and 35% of those with a high academic degree. In the
meantime, women are nearly absent in the decision-making process, and at
best they work as consultants. While women occupy 30% of appointed political
positions in democratic countries, this figure is a mere 5-6% in Armenia. Of
the country’s 930 communities, only 13 have women as their local leader.
Assessing the constitutional precept of gender equality as solely
declarative and dysfunctional, Hakobian deemed as the outcome of women’s
lack of involvement the reality that “social, health care, environment
protection, and many other issues are not discussed at the parliament and
the government. Meanwhile, international practice demonstrates that such
matters are raised mainly by women, whereas men are inclined to broach
military, economic, financial, and similar issues.” Hakobian also raised an
alarm that the number of woman serving as deputy ministers has substantially
declined and will continue to dip in Armenia. “One of the guarantees for the
country’s development is the equal discovery and materialization of men’s
and women’s abilities,” she concluded.
Heritage Party board member and Derenik Demirchian High School principal
Anahit Bakhshian began her address on “Indivisible Responsibility for the
Political Legacy of the Country” with words of advice given by her late
husband Yuri, a former deputy speaker of parliament who fell victim to the
terrorism of October 27, 1999: “Instead of gossiping at home, go and become
a member in the party that shares your views and take part in the
state-building process.” It was in this way that Bakhshian explained her
becoming a member of the Heritage Party. According to her, it is unnatural
that although women constitute the majority of the population and educating
the young generation primarily falls upon their shoulders, they are
insufficiently represented in politics in particular. “We women educators
are accountable for the conduct and educational level of the politicians and
MPs of yesterday, today, and tomorrow. All of today’s officials possess a
university diploma but only a very few really have a true education,”
Bakhshian noted.
The remainder of the session was devoted to exchanges of views and policy
recommendations among the public figures and policy specialists in
attendance. Zaruhi Makhsudian of the Armenian ombudswoman’s staff was
concerned by the passiveness among young women in particular. Armenian
Center for National and International Studies (ACNIS) analyst Alvard
Barkhudarian emphasized the imperative to surmount those strictures.
Appreciating this initiative by NCI, chairwoman Astghik Gevorgian of the
Union of Journalists proposed the holding of roundtables dedicated to women’
s issues in separate areas of interest. Participants also approved of Ruzan
Khachaturian’s candidacy as an extremely important precedent. ACNIS director
of research Stiopa Safarian brought forth the example of women’s wide
involvement in the social and political life of Finland and its rewarding
results. Also noteworthy were interventions by NCI program coordinator Edgar
Hakobian; NCI activists Siranush Hovhannisian, Gohar Isakhanian, Anna
Amirkhanian, and Vergine Grigorian; chairwoman Asia Hambardzumian of the
Heritage Party’s Ajapniak district; young party members Arpine and Hermine
Samvelian, Laura Virabian, and Arpine Parazian; and many others.
In his closing remarks, NCI coordinator Hovsep Khurshudian underlined the
topic’s significance for Armenia and Armenian society. “Traditionally, in
the first place, women have had a prominent place in Armenian family life
and ever since the establishment of the Republic of Armenia in 1918 in the
sociopolitical life of the country as well. During the Soviet years, we had
a number of female leaders, public and state figures. In addition, Armenian
women took active part in the democratic movement that led to the foundation
of today’s Republic of Armenia. Nonetheless, today women’s involvement in
public and political processes is extremely limited and consequently the
potential of our majority remains largely untapped. This is not an issue for
women alone; it is a nationwide concern. More active participation by women
in politics and within the country’s social life is the order of the day,
and this must be encouraged by the state in every respect,” Khurshudian
said.
The National Citizens’ Initiative is a public non-profit association founded
in December 2001 by Raffi K. Hovannisian, his colleagues, and fellow
citizens with the purpose of realizing the rule of law and overall
improvements in the state of the state, society, and public institutions.
The National Citizens’ Initiative is guided by a Coordinating Council, which
includes individual citizens and representatives of various public,
scientific, and educational establishments. Five commissions on Law and
State Administration, Socioeconomic Issues, Foreign Policy, Spiritual and
Cultural Challenges, and the Youth constitute the vehicles for the
Initiative’s work and outreach.
For further information, please call (37410) 27-16-00 or 27-00-03; fax
(37410) 52-48-46; e-mail [email protected]; or visit

ASBAREZ ONLINE
TOP STORIES
09/15/2005
TO ACCESS PREVIOUS ASBAREZ ONLINE EDITIONS PLEASE VISIT OUR
WEBSITE AT <;HTTP:// 1) House International Relations Committee Overwhelmingly Adopts Armenian Genocide Legislation 2) Turkey Eyes German Elections Closely 3) President Kocharian, Ambassador Evans Review Process of Introducing Constitutional Reforms 4) California-Armenia Trade Office Bill Passes State Assembly and Senate 1) House International Relations Committee Overwhelmingly Adopts Armenian Genocide Legislation -International Relations Committee Chairman and Ranking Democrat Lead Strong Bipartisan Majority in Approving H.Res.316 and H.Con.Res.195 -Passage Comes Despite the Strident Opposition from Turkish Embassy, The Livingston Group, and American Turkish Council WASHINGTON, DC--Following almost three hours of remarks by a bipartisan group of 24 Members of Congress, the House International Relations Committee, today, voted in favor of two measures calling for proper US recognition of the Armenian Genocide and urging Turkey to end its decades long denial of this crime against humanity, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA). The votes clear yet another hurdle toward full House recognition of the Armenian Genocide. `We are very gratified by the House International Relations Committee's broad bipartisan support for today's action towards US recognition of the Armenian Genocide,' stated ANCA Chairman Ken Hachikian. `The Armenian American community deeply appreciates the leadership of Representatives George Radanovich (R-CA), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and Joe Knollenberg (R-MI) and the support of all our friends on the panel. As we work to build on the Committee's favorable action, we look to Speaker Hastert to honor his pledge and to schedule a full floor vote on Armenian Genocide legislation at the earliest opportunity.' Rep. Adam Schiff, a lead cosponsor of H.Res.316 and author of H.Con.Res.195 opened the Committee's discourse on both resolutions. Commenting on Turkey's ongoing denial of the Armenian Genocide, Rep. Schiff stated, `Ankara's behavior is as inexplicable as it is shameful. Turkey bears responsibility for its decades of denial and for compounding the suffering of the Armenian people by attempting to blame the victims for the crime.' Rep. Schiff also recognized three Armenian Genocide survivors--Mrs. Rose Baboyan, Yeretzgeen Sirarpi Khoyan and Mrs. Lusazine Tatarian--whose presence at the hearing was arranged by the ANC Washington DC chapter. In his concluding remarks, Chairman Hyde responded to arguments that passage of the Genocide resolutions could potentially harm US--Turkey relations. While noting that, `I very much believe the [US-Turkey] relationship is of great importance to us,' Rep. Hyde stated, `I don't believe that these resolutions will harm that relationship. They merely recognize the fact that the authorities of the Ottoman Empire deliberately slaughtered the majority of the Armenian community in that Empire.' Rep. Hyde went on to note that `denial of that fact cannot be justified on the basis of expediency or fear that speaking the truth will do us harm.' In all, twenty-four Members of the International Relations Committee spoke on the measures, with twenty-one voicing support for Congressional recognition of the Armenian Genocide and three speaking against. The speakers represented a broad bi-partisan spectrum of the Committee, with 15 democrats and 9 Republicans voicing their positions on the issue. Both H.Res.316 and H.Con.Res.195 were adopted by overwhelming margins of 40 to 7 and 35 to 11, respectively. The complete vote tallies will be provided on the Armenian National Committee of America website Following passage of the measures, Representatives Radanovich, Schiff, Pallone and Knollenberg hailed the Committee's overwhelming approval of the legislation. Rep. Radanovich noted, `The US National Archives is replete with thousands of pages documenting the premeditated extermination of the Armenian people. As the Armenian Genocide was being committed, the United States launched an unprecedented diplomatic, political, and humanitarian struggle to end the carnage and protect the survivors.' Rep. Radanovich continued, noting that `I appreciate the bipartisan support for this resolution [H.Res.316], which properly acknowledges the Armenian Genocide, reaffirms the proud and groundbreaking chapter in US history to halt the Genocide, and renews our commitment to preventing other occurrences of man's inhumanity to man.' `This year marks the 90th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide,' stated Rep. Schiff. `We are working to ensure our country recognizes this terrible tragedy while some of the victims are still alive, including the three brave survivors here today.' Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chair Frank Pallone stated `Today the House International Relations Committee moved this Congress one step closer to finally recognizing the atrocious acts inflicted by the Ottoman Turks on the Armenian people. It is now up to Speaker Hastert to realize the importance of this legislation, and finally allow a floor vote. I continue to believe that if the entire House has an opportunity to vote on recognizing the Armenian Genocide, the truth will win out and American recognition will finally occur.' Rep. Knollenberg echoed these remarks, noting that, `this legislation will show the world that America is not going to forget this horrible crime. The victims of the Genocide and their families deserve to have the crime recognized for the atrocity that it was. The committee's action today--and hopefully the approval of the full House soon--will help make sure that this terrible offense is never forgotten.' H.Res.316, which was introduced by Representatives George Radanovich (R-CA), Adam Schiff (D-CA), and Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chairs Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and Joe Knollenberg (R-MI), calls upon the President to ensure US foreign policy reflects appropriate understanding of the Armenian Genocide. The resolution includes thirty detailed findings from past US hearings, resolutions and Presidential statements, as well as references to statements by international bodies and organizations. As of today, a bipartisan group of over 140 Representatives have already pledged their support for the measure. H.Con.Res.195, introduced by Rep. Adam Schiff and cosponsored by over eighty Representatives, was offered following direct negotiations with House International Relations Committee Chairman Henry Hyde (R-IL). The Chairman agreed to Committee-level consideration of Armenian Genocide legislation in return for Rep. Schiff tabling a planned June 8 Armenian Genocide amendment to the House Foreign Relations Authorization bill. The agreement addressed serious concerns on the part of the Administration and Congressional leaders that the Schiff Amendment--which had strong prospects of passing--would overshadow the White House meeting, held that same day, between President Bush and Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan. This measure calls on Turkey to abandon its ongoing campaign of Armenian Genocide denial and to work with Armenia to come to terms with its tragic history. TURKISH GOVERNMENT/STATE DEPARTMENT OPPOSITION MOUNTS IN DAYS LEADING UP TO COMMITTEE VOTE The Turkish Ambassador Faruk Logoglu and his lobbyists--including the Livingston Group--actively made the rounds to members of the International Relations Committee, seeking to block any action on US reaffirmation of the Armenian Genocide. As part of this effort, the Livingston Group distributed a four-page genocide-denial document to Congressional offices. During the mark up, former Congressmen Livingston and Stephen Solarz and their team of lobbyists, were actively seeking to defeat these measures. Earlier this week, American Turkish Council Chairman, former National Security Advisor Brent Scowcroft warned Speaker Dennis Hastert that even the discussion of the Armenian Genocide on the floor of the US House would be `counter-productive to the interests of the United States.' In his September 12 letter, Scowcroft, speaking on behalf of the corporate members of the ATC, accused Congressional supporters of Armenian Genocide legislation (H.Res.316 and H.Con.Res.195) of trying to `pull Turkey away from the West.' He stressed that: `The careless use of genocide language provides and excuse to do so, delivering a direct blow to American interests in the region.' The Assembly of Turkish American Associations (ATAA) also urged Committee members to oppose the measures, arguing that, `disputes over history, such as the Ottoman Armenian Tragedy, should be resolved by open and rigorous historical and legal scholarship, not political resolutions.' In an unusual development, the ATAA urged their supporters to actually use the ANCA website and its powerful WebFax capabilities to attempt the defeat of the measures. The ANCA blocked all efforts along these lines. Both the ATC and ATAA have come under scrutiny in recent weeks as the result of a 10-page story in Vanity Fair detailing FBI whistleblower Sibel Edmond's reports that it's officials were involved in illegal efforts to defeat Armenian Genocide legislation in the fall of 2000. According to the article by contributing editor David Rose, Edmonds claimed FBI wiretaps--including those of the Turkish Embassy and Turkish groups such as the American Turkish Council (ATC) and the Assembly of Turkish American Associations (ATAA)--reveal that the Turkish government and its allies boasted of bribing members of Congress as part of an alleged deal to stop consideration of the Armenian Genocide Resolution. During the mark-up, lead opponent to the measure, Indiana Republican Dan Burton, called attention to a September 15 letter to Committee Chairman Hyde, expressing the State Department's opposition to the measures. The letter noted that, `House floor debate on an Armenia resolution could damage US-Turkish relations and could undermine progress by Ankara and Yerevan as they begin quiet talks to address the issue and look to the future.' 2) Turkey Eyes German Elections Closely 'Nonsense' to let Turkey Join EU, says ex Chancellor ISTANBUL (AKI/Guardian Ulimited)--The 'Turkish factor' is featuring strongly in the final decisive days of the German presidential election campaign, and in Turkey itself the event is being closely followed by the country's media. The early election called by incumbent Gerhard Schroeder--a staunch supporter of Turkey's entry into the European Union--sees him challenged by Christian Democrat leader Angela Merkel. Over the past three weeks, Merkel has made it abundantly clear that she opposes Turkish membership of the European Union. Her Christian Democrat (CDU) party wants to offer Turkey a "privileged partnership" instead. On Thursday morning, Merkel won support for her views from an unlikely source: Germany's former Social Democratic chancellor Helmut Schmidt. In an interview with Die Zeit newspaper, Schmidt said that Merkel had got it right: it would be "unfug" (nonsense) if Turkey were allowed to join the EU, he said. For most Turks, a Merkel victory would mean the loss of a strong ally in EU: Social Democrat leader Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder. Merkel was well ahead in opinion polls but recent surveys show the September 18 vote will be a close race. Schroeder's comeback has excited the Turkish press, which is giving extensive coverage to the run-up to the elections as if the election were taking place in Turkey. Many newspapers and television networks have sent their columnists and correspondents to various German cities to test the pulse of the electorate. Pro-EU liberal-left daily Radikal covers the latest developments with a special logo, writing 'Germany`s Choice.' Though angered by his social welfare and unemployment reforms, pro-EU Turkish columnists are also encouraging Turkish-German citizens to vote for Schroeder. An estimated 600,000 of the 2.6 million Turks in Germany are German citizens with right to vote. Aydin Dogan, one of Turkey's biggest media moguls, hosted Schroeder at his media group's offices in Frankfurt two days ago, a clear sign of Turkish media support for the Chancellor and of Schroeder's desire to capture the Turkish vote. "It is very difficult to estimate who will win but one thing is certain. If Merkel comes to power, very tough days will start for Turkey," predicted columnist Seda Serdar in the conservative daily Zaman. She also underlined that although Merkel ignores Turkish votes, Schroeder needs them. Murat Yetkin, from Radikal, stressed in his article that if Merkel becomes the next chancellor of the country, Germany will be a strong partner of the US, but will move away from Turkey. 3) President Kocharian, Ambassador Evans Review Process of Introducing Constitutional Reforms YEREVAN (Combined Sources)--Armenian President Robert Kocharian and US Ambassador to Armenia John Evans met on Thursday to address the process of introducing Armenia's Constitutional reforms. In an August 26 statement, Ambassador Evans termed the revised constitution "a notable step forward," urging the government to take "the necessary steps... to increase public awareness about this important process so that a well-informed public can express its will in the referendum scheduled for November." If adopted, the revised constitution would enter into force two years from the referendum. Armenia's opposition groups vehemently oppose President Kocharian's proposed changes to Armenia's constitution that are backed by the international community. At the Venice Commission's urging, the amendments are intended to pass greater powers from the president to parliament and the prime minister. Among other provisions, the reforms call on the National Assembly to appoint the human rights ombudsman and members of the National Radio and TV commission. The president has also been removed from the Council of Justice, a body that plays a key role in appointing judges. During their meeting, the Ambassador and President also reviewed the pace negotiations on settling the Mountainous Karabagh conflict. Evans also thanked the Armenian government and people for their assistance to the victims of Hurricane Katrina. 4) California-Armenia Trade Office Bill Passes State Assembly and Senate -- Bill Awaits Governor Schwarzenegger's Signature SACRAMENTO (ANCA-WR)--The International Trade and Investment Office: Yerevan bill (SB 897), introduced by California State Senator Jack Scott (D-Pasadena) in February of this year, recently passed in both the California State Assembly and Senate. The bill passed the chambers of the legislature with overwhelming bi-partisan support, having gained a vote of 77-1 in the Assembly and 32-1 in the Senate. The bill was enrolled and sent to the desk of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger on September 8th for his signature. "Once again through the leadership of Senator Scott and his tireless staff, Californians and Armenians alike can move forward towards establishing closer business and trade relations with one another which will benefit both peoples equally," said Armenian National Committee of America-Western Region (ANCA-WR) chair Steve Dadaian. "We look forward to Governor Schwarzenegger's approval of this commonsense measure aimed to allow the State of California to properly operate its trade office in Armenia." For over five years, the ANCA-WR has worked to improve trade relations between California and Armenia. SB 897 aims to extend the sunset date for the creation and operation of the California International Trade and Investment Office in Yerevan, Armenia which was established by state statue in 2002. The current sunset date for the trade office is set for January 1, 2006. The bill, however, would extend this deadline to 2008. SB 897 was introduced by Senator Scott, with principal coauthors Senators Chuck Poochigian (R-Fresno) and Jackie Speier (D-San Mateo), Assemblymembers Juan Arambula (D-Fresno) and Dario Frommer (D-Glendale), as well as coauthors Sen. Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto), and Assemblymembers Greg Aghazarian (R-Stockton) and Carol Liu (D-Pasadena). Last month, ANCA-WR Government Relations Director Armen Carapetian delivered testimony in the Capitol to secure passage of SB 897 in key committees and met with Assemblymembers and staff to galvanize support for the measure. 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) 2005 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.

Fresno State Armenian Studies Program
ASP Office: 559-278-2669
Office: 559-278-4930
FAX: 559-278-2129
7th Annual Armenian Film Festival
February 10, 2006
Sponsored by the Armenian Students Organization
Armenian Studies Program
California State University, Fresno
Partially funded by the Diversity Awareness Program of the
University Student Union, CSU Fresno
First Call for Entries
Entries are being sought for the 7th Annual Armenian Film Festival
to be held on the California State University, Fresno campus.
Films made by Armenian directors/writers, or films with an Armenian
theme are being sought.
Films up to 1 hour in length
Films may be in any language, English preferred
Films may be on any topic, Armenian theme preferred
Film must be in video (NTSC)/DVD format
DEADLINE FOR ENTRIES TO BE RECEIVED IS JANUARY 15, 2006.
Please send the video/DVD to:
Armenian Film Festival
c/o Armenian Studies Program
5245 N Backer Ave. PB4
Fresno, CA 93740-8001
Entries should be accompanied by a CV of the director/writer and a
synopsis of the film.
Telephone 559-278-2669
Email: [email protected]
The Festival Committee will meet to view and judge which entries
will be accepted for the Film Festival. Entrants will be contacted
by email with the decisions.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

EURASIA INSIGHT
ARMENIA: LESSONS FOR A MOLOKAN
Onnik Krikorian 9/13/05
A EurasiaNet Partner Post from Transitions Online
It’s not often that you encounter a village that makes you feel like
an “outsider” in Armenia but this is one of the few that do, and in
every sense of the word. It’s not that the residents of this
ethnically homogenous village made up of Russian Molokans don’t like
visitors. It’s simply that their presence is not considered essential
for Fioletovo to survive and prosper.
The Molokans are Russians that split from the Russian Orthodox Church
in the 17th Century. Fioletovo, a village inhabited by less than 1,500
people, is the largest community outside of Yerevan. Their total
population in Armenia stands at just 5,000 although 14 years earlier,
when independence was declared, there were approximately 12,000
Molokans living in the republic. Since then, most have left.
To call the community “closed” is not too far from the truth. Apart
from venturing out of Fioletovo and nearby Lermontovo to sell their
famous sauerkraut at market, the village resembles a traditional
Russian enclave cut off from the rest of Armenia. You might even be
forgiven for thinking you had entered a settlement somewhere deep in
the heart of Russia.
Many consider the Molokans as something akin to the Amish in the
United States.
True, the Molokans use motorized vehicles but otherwise, alcohol is
forbidden as is marriage outside the community. And, for the more
strict adherents to the faith, so is television. Streets are
impeccably clean with every other house sporting a fresh coat of
paint. The men wear long beards that haven’t been cut in years while
most of the women cover their heads.
Their fiercely blonde and blue-eyed children are unable to communicate
in any language other than Russian.
And herein lies the problem. As idyllic and refreshing as the scene
might be, the situation in terms of education is just the opposite. In
fact, according to a recent survey of education in national minority
communities by the Hazarashen Armenian Centre of Ethnological Studies,
“Molokans continue retaining [their] virtues over education and thus,
the inertia of perceiving education as secondary continues.”
The report, conducted for Armenia’s education ministry and the
National Statistics Service was made possible through the financial
and technical support of UNICEF. It follows a generic survey on
education in Armenia held during 2001. Then, UNICEF discovered that
school drop-out rates for national minority communities, in addition
to those made up of refugees, were twice the national average.
As a result, one of the recommendations from that 2001 report was to
conduct a new assessment but specifically focusing on national
minority communities. Although Armenia is considered a largely
mono-ethnic country, 2.2 percent of the population comprises ethnic
groups such as Yezidis, Assyrians, Russians and Jews. The report chose
to focus on the three largest in the republic – the Yezidis and Kurds,
the Assyrians, and the Russian Molokans.
“We discovered that there were no problems whatsoever in the Assyrian
community,” says Marine Soukhudyan, UNICEF’s Education Project
Officer. “Historically, as well as culturally, the Assyrian community
values education highly and does everything it can to ensure that
their children receive a normal education. Of course, there is still a
problem with the availability of textbooks and this is a serious issue
for every minority community in Armenia.”
Like the Molokans, the Assyrians receive much of their own education
in Russian but the textbooks that exist are mainly left over from the
Soviet era and do not comply with the requirements of the new
curriculum. There is also an insufficient quantity of teaching
materials in minority languages, but Soukhudyan says that the National
Institute of Education in Armenia is currently contacting
intellectuals within each community to address this problem.
However, she says that there are more serious concerns. “For example,
during the last 15 years, only a handful of children from minority
communities entered higher education,” she explains. “We also
discovered that in Yezidi communities, children attend school for two
to five months on average per year. At first, we thought this was
connected to poverty but later, we discovered that this reflected an
attitude within the community towards education.”
“With the exception of the Assyrians, the Molokan and Yezidi
communities prioritize labor,” continues Soukhudyan. “There is also a
great difference between attitudes towards education for girls
compared to boys. In many communities, grade 8 is considered the end
of the education cycle. This is mandatory under Armenian law but the
real picture is hidden away by many other factors.”
Children from national minority communities are instead expected to
tend the fields and shepherd livestock rather than attend school. The
UNICEF-funded report also noted that some Molokan families have even
been known to pull their children out of school as early as the second
or third grade.
“Parents think that 3 years of education is enough for a child to know
how to sell milk, cabbage and count 10 eggs, which means that the
child will be able to earn money,” says the report, summarizing the
attitude of Molokans in Lermontovo towards education. “Having a full
stomach is better than having an education.”
Education in minority communities is therefore seasonal and governed
by the agricultural calendar. At the same time, because teachers in
rural communities are also engaged in farming, they have no interest
in recording low attendance figures because they too are
absent. Soukhudyan calls it a “mutually beneficial situation for both
teachers and the families of schoolchildren.”
Indeed, when the survey team for the report visited Lermontovo in
August during harvest time, there was not a single child in the
village. Even pre-school children had been sent to help their parents
in the fields. Every year, they work there until mid-October and
sometimes, the beginning of November.
Even so, school work is still marked as “satisfactory” although
children have learned little or next to nothing. In some cases,
especially in Yezidi communities, pupils and teachers cannot even
communicate with each other. In these communities, while the teachers
are Armenian, each new intake of children from Yezidi families can
hardly understand anything other than their mother tongue.
“Textbooks are also in Armenian but it takes two or three years before
Yezidi children can understand the language,” says Soukhudyan. “Until
then, the child’s development is frustrated and, actually, prevented.
There are some Yezidi teachers, of course, but as they generally come
from other villages, there is also the problem of transportation,
especially during the winter months.”
Armenian teachers sometimes use body language instead of words to
“explain and impart knowledge to students.”
And while adverse socio-economic conditions faced by rural
settlements, as well as the poor upkeep of village schools, are
detrimental to education, the main problem is cultural. This is
especially true for females. “There are those who even consider
education dangerous for a girl,” says the report. “They reason that an
educated woman may have ideas and not be as obedient to men.”
However, despite these obstacles, there are children in minority
communities that would like to enter higher education. In the Yezidi
village of Zovuni, for example, one girl cries as she tells of her
inability to study French when she finishes school. Another Yezidi
girl says that if given the opportunity, she would like to study, and
later teach, Armenian language and literature.
Key to effectively addressing this issue, however, will be to launch a
public awareness campaign highlighting the importance of education
among national minority communities. The governor of the Aragatsotn
region in Armenia has already committed himself to supporting UNICEF
in this endeavor. In particular, there will be a specific focus on
teaching Yezidi and Molokan children the Armenian language from an
early age, especially in pre-schools.
UNICEF will also supply 100 schools in five regions of Armenia with
“school in a box” kits that contain essential supplies to meet the
needs of 8,000 schoolchildren. The kits will also be supplied to
vulnerable Armenian communities, especially those situated in
depressed border regions.
“It is my dream to become a doctor,” says one girl in Lermontovo, “but
how can a Molokan enter university? We can’t receive a higher
education because we don’t know Armenian. Nobody here does.”
Editor’s Note: Onnik Krikorian is a journalist and photographer based
in Yerevan. This article first appeared on the website of UNICEF
Armenia.
Posted September 13, 2005 © Eurasianet

Pyunik close in on Armenian title
Thursday, 15 September 2005
The Armenian Premier League is back in full swing
following a four-week break with the title race
nearing its climax.
League split
The return to action saw the league split in two, with
the top six sides competing in the championship pool
and retaining the points they had accumulated from
playing one other, while the remainder battle it out
in the relegation group.
Pyunik prevail
Championship leaders FC Pyunik have increased their
advantage from five to ten points in just two matches
after their rivals slipped up. Pyunik began with a 5-0
triumph against FC Dinamo-Zenit Yerevan before winning
2-1 against second-placed FC MIKA. MIKA could only
draw their previous game against FC Kilikia thanks to
two penalties from Aghvan Mkrtchian.
Trio missing
However, it was not all good news for Pyunik. Armenia
Under-21 goalkeeper Apoula Edima, midfielder Karl
Lombe and forward Mamadou Diawara failed to return
after the holidays, and it is unclear when – indeed if
– they will return to the Pyunik fold.
Danaev signs
Third-placed FC Banants have also struggled after the
restart, a goalless draw against FC Kotayk preceding a
3-1 home defeat by Kilikia which only strengthened
Pyunik’s title challenge. Banants have released
Moldovan forward Dumitriu Gusila while signing Andrei
Danaev on loan from Ukrainian club FC Stal Alchevsk.
Triple capture
Kotayk, now within one point of third position after a
2-0 victory against Dinamo-Zenit, resumed their
campaign with three new players. Arkadij Chilingaryan
and Karen Navoyan joined from FC Lernayin Artsakh
along with midfielder Nikolay Agasyan whose
Dinamo-Zenit contract had expired.
Relegation issue
In the relegation section, FC Ararat Yerevan and FC
Shirak drew 1-1 in the first leg of their play-off.
Gor Atabekyan’s early goal for Ararat was cancelled
out on 68 minutes by Karen Khachatryan’s penalty for
the hosts. The losing side will face another play-off
against the team finishing second in the first
division to determine whether they preserve top-flight
status.
©uefa.com 1998-2005.

Getting Down to lighten up not easy
DEEP ROOTS: Tragic Armenian history plays role in vision of distinct
thrash band
BY EVELYN MCDONNELL KNIGHT RIDDER
In concert
System of a Down Where: Pacific Coliseum When: Saturday night at 7
Tickets: $39.50-$55.50 at Ticketmaster.ca or 604-280-4444
Among the myriad norm-deviations that make System of a Down one of
the millennium’s strangest musical acts is the fact a holocaust
indirectly spawned the group.
>From 1915-23, an estimated 1.5 million Armenians were killed by the
Turkish government in a horrific campaign of massacres, deportation,
starvation and torture. For System, this brutal history is something
more than prime heavy-metal-song fodder: It’s personal.
`Because of the genocide, Armenians scattered,’ System bassist Shavo
Odadjian explains over the phone from his Los Angeles home. A number
of the displaced, including four-year-old Odadjian and his future
bandmates, eventually made their way to America’s 20th-century
promised land: Hollywood. While many rock groups have their genesis
in high school, System of a Down is probably the first whose members
all attended an Armenian-American academy (albeit during different
years).
Odadjian, guitarist/singer Daron Malakian, singer Serj Tankian and
drummer John Dolmayan all speak Armenian. And though their music
isn’t filled with Armenian instruments, their shared ethnic history
undoubtedly unites them – and shapes their distinct world view and
musical vision.
`We’ve all grown up not the same, but with very similar morals and
values,’ says Odadjian. `We know how it is. We know not to talk about
anyone’s mother and sister.’
That cohesion has allowed System to carve a distinctive path through
the contemporary soundscape. They’re a thrash band that throws in
operatic trills. Progressive in their musical tastes and politics,
they’ve shot a video with Michael Moore. On Mesmerize, their recently
released fourth album, they mostly seem to be channelling the goofy,
artsy ghost of Frank Zappa, if he were in Metallica.
The band members’ experiences as progeny of the Armenian diaspora
provided the fuel for Mesmerize and Hypnotize, its companion CD, to
be released in late fall. Malakian’s family fled from Armenia to Iraq
before winding up in California. (Malakian was born in Hollywood,
Odadjian in Armenia, Tankian and Dolmayan in Lebanon.) His personal
and politicized fear, anger and sorrow drive Mesmerize, from the
opening `Soldier Side,’ through the fierce antiwar `B.Y.O.B.’ to the
melancholy `Sad Statue,’ in which the Statue of Liberty – the beacon
of immigrants – weeps over her torn domicile.
`He sees it totally differently,’ says Odadjian of Malakian’s view of
the war in Iraq. `It’s not because he’s from there, but because it’s
family. He doesn’t know when he’s going to get that call saying
something’s happened to somebody.’
Malakian’s need to express his feelings on global politics changed
the very dynamic of the band. For the first time, on Mesmerize, the
guitarist wrote the majority of lyrics and sings leads, while
Tankian, the traditional frontman, plays such instruments as acoustic
guitars, piano and synthesizers (and cowrites and sings). It’s as if
Keith Richards and Mick Jagger traded roles in the Rolling Stones.
And unlike the famously rancorous Glitter Twins, System’s songwriting
partnership apparently made the transition smoothly.
`He’s always been a singer,’ Odadjian says of Malakian. `I was not
surprised; we’re really good friends. I was surprised how Serj took
it so well and felt just like me: If you do something well, why would
I hold you back? We don’t let ego get in the way.’
Odadjian is also Zen about the way Malakian’s increased auteurship
ate into his presence on Mesmerize. The guitarist recorded many of
the bass parts himself, although Odadjian says the media has
overplayed this change.
`The way we did this album was a little different. The others we
wrote songs, played them for a while and then recorded. This time
around Daron had a vision. He wanted the bass playing to be similar
to guitar. The way I play bass is different. I did my stuff, and he
went in with my permission, with no ego, and redid some of the tracks
the way he wanted. Some songs are me, some are not.’
Odadjian does admit that he did, for the first time in his life, take
bass lessons while recording Mesmerize/Hypnotize.
The fact System’s members can so beatifically absorb one member’s
power move/creative burst is a testament to their strong roots. The
group formed in ’95, when Odadjian met Malakian and Tankian at a
shared rehearsal area. At first Odadjian was the group’s manager, but
eventually he passed those duties on to professionals.
Dolmayan joined in ’96.
Daron Malakian (from left), Serj Tankian, John Dolmayan and Shavo
Odadjian share strong roots – both Armenian and otherwise. – AP

Armenian Assembly of America
1140 19th Street, NW, Suite 600
Washington, DC 20036
Phone: 202-393-3434
Fax: 202-638-4904
Email: [email protected]
Web:
PRESS RELEASE
September 15, 2005
CONTACT: Christine Kojoian
Email: [email protected]
PAN-ARMENIAN GENOCIDE RESOLUTION PASSES HOUSE INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS COMMITTEE
Lawmakers Vote 40 to 7 to Approve H. Res. 316
Washington, DC – The pan-Armenian genocide resolution took a major
step forward today, winning bipartisan support in the influential
House International Relations Committee. H. Res. 316, which is
currently backed by 140 Members, won passage thanks in part to
Committee Chairman Rep. Henry Hyde (R-IL) and the bill’s principal
sponsors Reps. George Radanovich (R-CA), Adam Schiff (D-CA), and
Armenian Caucus Co-Chairs Joe Knollenberg(R-MI) and Frank Pallone,
Jr. (D-NJ).
“The argument has been made that these resolutions, if adopted, will
be harmful to [the] interests [of the United States] by undermining
our relationship with Turkey, which all acknowledge to be one of our
key allies…..Denial of that fact cannot be justified on the basis of
expediency or fear that speaking the truth will do us harm,” said
Hyde.
“The Assembly extends its appreciation to Chairman Hyde and members of
the Committee for properly recognizing the first genocide of the
twentieth century and affirming the U.S. record,” Assembly Board of
Trustees Chairman Hirair Hovnanian said following the vote. “This
recognition, which is especially poignant during this 90th
commemorative year, will go a long way in preventing future tragedies
and give meaning to the phrase ‘Never Again.'”
“We also thank the original sponsors of H. Res. 316 who worked long
and hard in helping secure today’s victory,” Hovnanian added.
Committee Members also voted today to approve, H. Con. Res. 195, a
bill that would reaffirm the Armenian Genocide. The measure, which
passed 35 to 11, was introduced by Schiff in June.
During the markup Schiff said that there is no discrepancy that the
Armenian experience constituted genocide and no evidence that
U.S.-Turkish relations would be irreparably harmed by the adoption of
these resolutions.
Congressman Tom Lantos (D-CA), the Committee’s Ranking Member,
expressed his strong concern over Ankara’s refusal in 2003 to provide
U.S. troops a northern front in the war against Iraq and in a
reversal, changed his previous opposition to one of support.
Armenian Caucus Member Rep. Christopher Smith (R-NJ) said, “Friends
don’t let friends commit human rights abuses or crimes against
humanity.”
Rep. Betty McCollum (D-MN), also a member of the Caucus, stressed the
importance of acknowledging history and the fact that the government
of the Ottoman Empire attacked its own citizens.
H. Res. 316, which was introduced on June 14, calls upon the President
to “ensure that the foreign policy of the United States reflects
appropriate understanding” of the “Armenian Genocide” and to
“accurately characterize the systematic and deliberate annihilation of
1,500,000 Armenians as genocide” in the President’s annual message.
Passage of this legislation would reaffirm the U.S. historical record
which includes thousands of pages documenting the premeditated
extermination of the Armenian people. American intervention prevented
the full realization of Ottoman Turkey’s genocidal plan and
U.S. humanitarian assistance was extended to those who survived.
Additionally, today’s vote reiterates the same message put forth by
Presidents Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush. In 1981, for example,
Reagan issues a presidential proclamation that said in part, “Like the
genocide of the Armenians before it, and the genocide of the
Cambodians which followed it – and like too many other persecutions of
too many other people – the lessons of the Holocaust must never be
forgotten..” President Bush himself has also carefully set forth the
textbook definition of the crime of genocide as it applies to
Armenians in his successive April 24th statements of remembrance.
H. Res. 316 is similar to the version that nearly passed the House of
Representatives in 2000. The previous resolution, which had the
support of 143 cosponsors, passed the House International Relations
Committee by a vote of 24 to 11. It was later scheduled for a vote on
the House floor, but withdrawn at the last minute due to an
intervention by President Clinton to Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-IL)
which prevented the final affirmative vote.
The Turkish government has vigorously opposed the resolutions by
calling upon its hired lobbyists, the Administration and Members of
Congress to deny that the genocide occurred. A recent New York Times
editorial entitled “The Turkish Identity” also highlights Turkey’s
state-sponsored denial efforts which include the recent prosecution of
novelist Orhan Pamuk for openly discussing the Armenian
Genocide. Pamuk has been charged with “public denigration” of the
Turkish identity and face a possible three-year jail sentence.
“That court action [against Pamuk] is as wrong as it is incredible,”
said Armenian Caucus Member Rep. Ed Royce (R-CA). Congressman Dana
Rohrabacher added, “This is not a good trend and we should never
accept it. We should be on the side of that writer and be on the side
of truth.”
Board of Directors Chairman Anthony Barsamian praised the Assembly’s
network of grassroots activists and the community at large for
reaching out to lawmakers on Capitol Hill and helping secure
bi-partisan support for H. Res. 316.
“Armenian-Americans celebrate this victory, not only for our public
advocacy efforts, but for those who dare to speak the truth,” said
Barsamian. “Today’s success demonstrates that engaging our grassroots
in the democratic process prevails over the millions spent by Turkey’s
hired lobbyists to influence decision makers. It is our hope that
Speaker Hastert will now follow the example of President Reagan, and
more recently, U.S. Ambassador to Armenia John Evans, and formally and
irrevocably reaffirm the Armenian Genocide.”
The next step in the legislative process is to work with the sponsors
to secure passage in the full House.
The Armenian Assembly of America is the largest Washington-based
nationwide organization promoting public understanding and awareness
of Armenian issues. It is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt membership
organization.
NR#2005-090
Editor’s Note: Attached is the full text of Chairman Henry Hyde’s
statement.
I have waited to speak until the end of the members’ statements
because I wanted to listen carefully to what they had to say. I have
thought long and hard about these resolutions and have decided to vote
in favor. And I want to explain why.
The overriding purpose in all of my work in Congress has been to
promote the interests of the United States. The argument has been that
these resolutions, if adopted, will be harmful to those interests by
undermining our relationship with Turkey, which all acknowledge to be
one of our key allies. That is a serious charge indeed and worthy of
serious attention. I very much believe that the relationship is of
great importance to U.S. and also to the possibility of peace and
stability in the volatile regions that Turkey borders. But I do not
believe that these resolutions will harm that relationship.
They merely recognize the fact that the authorities of the Ottoman
Empire deliberately slaughtered the majority of the Armenian community
in that empire. Denial of that fact cannot be justified on the basis
of expediency or fear that speaking the truth will do us harm.
Having said this, I want to strongly emphasize that neither the
Republic of Turkey nor the Turkish people bear responsibility for the
crimes that undoubtedly took place. Too often that inaccurate and even
slanderous association is made, either by accident or design, and we
must be careful not to give it credence.
I also want to note and commend the Turkish government’s recent
initiatives to address this issue more forthrightly than has been the
practice in the past. These are encouraging signs, and I hope they are
but the first in a series of mutual steps.
It is commonly supposed that we must choose between recognizing the
fact of the massacres and supporting our relationship with Turkey,
that somehow these things are opposed to one another. I believe that
not only is that view profoundly incorrect but is actually harmful to
all parties.
The deep animosity between Turkey and Armenia is destructive to the
interests of both countries, as well as to those of the United States,
for they make lasting peace and stability in the Caucasus virtually
impossible.
The many barriers between them tower so mightily that they are
dispiriting to all but the most resolute.
However, this particular issue is of such profound importance and
emotional resonance to both countries that I do not believe that
either alone can take the steps needed to overcome its impregnable
walls. But to freeze attention on the past is to be imprisoned by it
and at the enormous cost of sacrificing the future.
Therefore, I believe it is in the interests of the United States and
of Turkey and Armenia both that we take the lead in dealing with this
paralyzing legacy. And we must start with a recognition of the
truth. For there is no possibility that this problem can ever be
overcome if we seek to ground any solution on silence and
forgetting. For as our Savior is quoted in the Book of St. John: “You
shall know the truth. And the truth shall set you free.” That is why I
will vote to support these resolutions and do so in the hope that it
will contribute to a lasting peace among the peoples of these ancient,
tragic, and beautiful lands.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Congresswoman Betty McCollum
Serving Minnesota’s 4th Congressional District
1029 Longworth HOB w Washington, DC 20515

For Immediate Release: September 15, 2005
Contact: Dany Khy (202) 225-6631 / [email protected]

Statement from Congresswoman Betty McCollum (MN-04) on the Armenian Genocide

Washington, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Betty McCollum (MN-04) made the
following statement in the U.S. House International Relations Committee
during debate of H.Con.Res.195, a resolution to commemorate the Armenian
Genocide of 1915-1923:

“I had an opportunity to attend in St. Paul a remembrance of the victims of
the Armenian genocide. The Armenian community warmly embraced and said
prayers for the victims of the ongoing genocide in Darfur.

“One and a half million people died under a former government, the Ottoman
regime. It is important to remember Mr. Schiff’s statement about the age of
the survivors of the genocide. We are running out of time as an
international community to move toward peace and reconciliation. We are
running out of time for the victims and those who remember the tragedy to
come together and heal.

“I am pleased that a joint commission is being discussed. I’ve spoken to
people in Turkey and to people within the Turkish government who would like
to see reconciliation move forward.

“The fact that the Turkish government has not moved as quickly as many of us
would like is important. Equally important is that there are many in Turkey
who realize that truth and reconciliation, and a recognition in history,
will go a long way in healing many wounds.

“We need to look at what has happened in history in order to move forward
with reconciliation. Look at our own history with the Native Americans and
the Japanese internment. In my state of Minnesota, people with mental
illness were warehoused, buried without even a marker to recognize them as
individuals.

“We have to acknowledge when we’ve had failures. We have to acknowledge
when we’ve hurt one another. The failure to do so sends the wrong signal to
our children, that it doesn’t matter what you do, people will forget about
it. It sends the wrong message, that there’s no lesson to be learned from
treating each other cruelly and inhumanely. There’s no judgment.

“I support both resolutions recognizing the Armenian genocide [H.Con.Res.
195 and H.Res. 316]. However, I would like to say this to the Turkish
government: you are moving forward; slowly but forward. I appreciate,
respect and acknowledge that, but time is running out.

“As a member of the International Relations Committee, it is my
responsibility to try to be consistent on policies. I recognized genocide
in Darfur. I saw it with my own eyes – I witnessed a government attacking
its own citizens. For me, the atrocities that occurred under the Ottoman
Empire, not the Turkish Republic, but the Ottoman Empire, were similar — a
government attacking its own citizens. Fortunately, that government no
longer exists. However, people living in the region must have an accurate
reflection of history in order to move forward toward peace and
reconciliation.

“And to the Turkish government, I would also like to say, as I said to the
Turkish Ambassador when he was in my office shortly after the Turkish
Parliament took a vote not to allow U.S. troops: I respect their
sovereignty. I respect their democracy and I respect their right to
determine how they will be engaged in policy.”

####