OTTOMANS EXECUTED 63 PEOPLE FOR HARMING ARMENIANS

Turkish Press
April 20 2005

Press Scan

YENI SAFAK- The Ottoman government executed 63 people for attacking
and harming Armenians during the relocation days, according to a
research carried out within Turkish Prime Ministry State Archives.
471,000 Ottoman soldiers and a few times more Armenians and Turks
died of epidemics during these years, according to hospital records
in the last years of the Ottoman Empire.

Bundestag to debate 1915 Armenian massacre

Expatica, Netherlands
April 20 2005

20 April 2005

BERLIN – Germany’s parliament will on Thursday debate a resolution
on the “expulsion and massacres” of Armenians under the Ottoman
Turks in 1915 as part of ceremonies marking the 90th anniversary of
the killings.

The declaration says between 1.2 and 1.5 million Christian Armenians
died or were killed by the Moslem Turks during ‘planned’ deportations
during World War One.

Turkey’s government rejects this version of events and says far fewer
Armenians died during Ottoman deportations which it argues took place
under war conditions and due to an Armenian rebellion.

But this official Turkish view is rejected by the German Bundestag
resolution.

“Turkey denies up to this day that these events were planned and
that the deaths during expulsion treks and massacres by the Ottoman
Empire were desired,” says the text supported by Germany’s opposition
Christian Democratic alliance (CDU/CSU) which mainly opposes Turkish
European Union membership.

Nevertheless, the three-page resolution is careful not to use the word
‘genocide’ to describe these events.

A parliamentary official, speaking on the condition of anonymity,
said this was because the document was aimed at reconciliation between
Armenians and Turks.

“We want to build bridges – not slam the door shut,” said the official.

This approach contrasts with resolutions passed by at least 16 national
parliaments, including France and the Netherlands, which explicitly
define the killings as genocide.

The more cautious German approach was criticised by the Society for
Threatened Peoples, a Goettingen-based NGO which serves as a consultant
to the United Nations and the Council of Europe.

“Those who deny the Holocaust was genocide are threatened with
prison terms in Germany,” said the Society in a statement, adding:
“The German parliament loses all credibility if it does not have the
public courage to label the destruction of the Armenians genocide.”

Under German law it is a crime to deny the Holocaust in which 6
million Jews were murdered.

There are a number of reasons for caution in Berlin over the Armenians.

Germany has about 2.5 million resident Turks, compared to an Armenian
minority of 40,000. Many Turks in Germany are poorly integrated and
officials are nervous about divisive issues such as the Armenian past.

Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder is a staunch backer of Turkish EU
membership and the Society for Threatened Peoples cynically noted
his planned visit next month to Turkey “could not have played any
role in the decision” not to recognise the genocide.

Schroeder will visit Ankara and Istanbul for talks with Turkish
political and business leaders on 3 and 4 May.

Turkey’s ambassador to Germany, Mehmet Ali Irtemcelik, denounced the
Bundestag resolution and insisted there had never been an Armenian
genocide.

The resolution contains “countless factual errors” and has been
written “in agreement with propaganda efforts of fanatic Armenians,”
said Irtemcelik in an interview with Hurriyet newspaper provided by
the Turkish embassy in Berlin.

“Its goal is to defame Turkish history … and poison ties between
Turkey and the European Union,” said the ambassador.

Turkey is due to start membership negotiations with the EU in October
but EU leaders say accession talks – if successful – will take up to
15 years.

Armenians all over the world will on 24 April mark the 90th anniversary
of the start of what most international historians describe as a
genocide lasting from 1915 to 1923 which left up to 1.5 million
people dead.

KARABAKH CONFLICT MUST BE SETTLED TAKING INTO ACCOUNT
INTERNATIONAL LEGAL NORMS

YEREVAN, APRIL 19. ARMINFO. The Karabakh conflict must be settled
only by means of strengthening of the status of Nagorny Karabakh and
ensuring of even guarantees of security of the people of Nagorny
Karabakh and bordering territories, as well as of refugees. It is
said in the statement of the Commission on parliamentary cooperation
Armenia-EU, made on April 14 in Strasbourg.

In the document the Commission stresses the necessity of the
participation of the people of Nagorny Karabakh in the negotiation
process. The Commission also confirms its readiness to provide
assistance in the peaceful settlement of the Karabakh conflict on the
basis of international legal norms, including the principle of rights
of peoples for self-determination. The Commission also stresses that
the uncertainty of the issue on the status of Nagorny Karabakh must
not hinder the international community to respect the main rights
and freedoms of the people of Nagorny Karabakh. The authors of the
statement also stress the necessity of the participation of the
international community in the process of peaceful settlement of
the Karabakh conflict. At the same time the commission thinks that
the final settlement of the conflict may be reached only between the
Armenian and Azerbaijani parties through the mediation of the OSCE
Minsk Group.

Taking into consideration the conclusion of the OSCE expert group
for study of the situation in the territories bordering to Nagorny
Karabakh, the commission welcomes the assistance of the authorities
of Armenia and Nagorny Karabakh to the activity of the group. The
commission calls on the conflicting parties to create conditions
for safe repatriation of the refugees. The commission calls on the
conflicting parties to abstain from allegations and actions, which may
result in additional tension in the region or resumption of military
operations. The commission considers inadmissible the settlement of
the Karabakh problem by force.

The commission calls on the conflicting parties for sooner settlement
of the problem, which is an obstacle on the way of establishment of
regional cooperation. The real pre-condition for reconciliation of the
Armenian and Azerbaijani peoples, ensuring stability in the region
of the South Caucasus is the establishment of Armenian-Azerbaijani
trade-economic cooperation. The commission calls on other countries
of the region not to create obstacles on the way of establishment
of cooperation between the Armenian and Azerbaijani sides and
not to put the issue of settlement of the Karabakh conflict as
a preliminary condition for these relations. The establishment of
regional cooperation between the countries of the South Caucasus is a
pre-condition for their sooner integration into European structures,
said in the document. The commission says that the growing involvement
of EU in regional processes supposes activation of its efforts in
settlement of conflicts in the South Caucasus and implementation of
regional reforms.

As Armenian Cochairman of the Commission, Head of parliamentary
commission for foreign relations of Armenia Armen Roustamian pointed
out during the news conference at National Assembly of Armenia
Tuesday that the making of this statement required much efforts
from the Armenian side, as European parliamentarians being members
of the commission at the same time are members of the commission on
cooperation Azerbaijan-EU. Armen Roustamian informed that the sitting
of this commission is held in Baku now, and a statement regarding
Azerbaijan will be made.

President Kocharian addresses international conference on Genocide

20.04.2005 13:05

YEREVAN (YERKIR) – President Robert Kocharian addressed the
international conference “Ultimate Crime, Ultimate Challenge,”
opened in Yerevan on Wednesday. Below is the full text of President
Kocharian’s speech.

Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen:

We pay tribute to the memory of vanished victims as we commemorate
the 90th anniversary of the tragic events. We do it with doubled pain,
since we are still bound to continue the struggle for the international
recognition of the committed crime.

The First World War aimed at global re-distribution of the world and
the big ideological controversy of the 20th century that followed
became the major obstacles to recognition of the legitimate rights
of the Armenian people. We became victims of the First World War even
though we were not the initiators of that war. And our right for memory
was sacrificed to the Cold War even though we were not its masterminds.

When the planned policy of extermination of the Armenian nation was
executed, the term “genocide” did not exist. Nor was it defined. There
were no international structures that could serve as a floor for
discussion to give a united response to that crime of genocide.

Obviously the world is changing. It took time for the world to
treat genocides as crimes against humanity with all the relevant
consequences. It took time to prevent the practice of sacrificing
fundamental humanitarian values to the geopolitical interests of
great powers and to include the moral considerations into foreign
policy making of the civilized world.

The avenue of that change was tragic for many peoples. For the Armenian
people the price of that change equals one and a half million of
human lives. Today also, the Armenian question is kept hostage to
some geopolitical interests.

Modern technologies allow watching live the military operations
unfolding in differentt parts of the world, the term “genocide”
is well defined, and numerous regional and universal international
organizations are put in place.

Countries are more determined in responding to a threat or attempt
to commit genocides. Yugoslavia, Rwanda, East Timor, Sumgait – in
all these places once again innocent people were slaughtered. This
comes to prove that there is a need to amplify the efforts aimed at
effective suppression of the genocidal attempts.

That is exactly why the recognition and condemnation of genocides
is so crucial. Recognition bears in it a huge potential for adequate
response. Prevention of that crime is particularly important.

Condemnation of genocides committed in the past is also very
important. It first of all comes to prove that the crime has no
expiration clause, and those guilty will be bbrought to justice in
any case. It is important in terms of containment of future genocidal
intentions.

It is through recognition and condemnation that states educate their
citizens. The lessons is: the state machinery shall not become a toll
in implementation of that terrible crime. We the duty of establishing
atmosphere that would exclude any extremist divisions based on the
nationality, ethnos, and religions or along any other dividing lines,
any propaganda of hatred by one group against another.

Another important component is the future fate of a people that
has survived genocide. The Armenian people, due to genocide,
were displaces, became a refugee people and were scattered across
the globe. International recognition of the Armenian Genocide and
necessity of restoration of historic injustice were sacrificed to
the grand politics.

Most of the criminals who planned and implemented the genocide
escaped the punishment. Moreover, the remains of Taleat pasha who
was assassinated in Berlin, were returned to Turkey and buries with
honors in Istanbul. The humanity pays a tremendously high price of
forgetting such crimes.

Using this opportunity I would like to thank all those countries,
which at different levels have addressed the issue of the Armenian
Genocide and have recognized it, as well as all those individuals and
organizations that have contributed to wards that recognition. The
role of Diaspora in that regard is absolutely inestimable.

By such recognitions states also say “no” to all possible future
genocides. The number of victims of the Armenian genocide could be
incomparable higher and the fate of survivors much more severe if
not for a number of outstanding individuals, including Morgenthau,
Bruce, Nansen, Verfel, Briusov, Wegner, Lepsius, and many others who
stood by our people in those terrible days.

Dear Ladies and Gentlemen:

The Republic of Armenia, as an independent state, has put its position
straight forward: recognition of the Armenian Genocide is also
important for prevention of future possible genocides. Recognition is
important for Armenian-Turkish relations, since it could give answers
to many questions that exist between our two peoples, it would allot
to look ahead.

We remember the past with pain, but without hatred. For us it is
difficult to comprehend the response of the TTurkish side, which
is represented not only by the denial of the past, but also by the
blockade of nowadays Armenia. We have come across a paradox that
still needs to be apprehended. The perpetrator, not the victim is
furious with the past.

Are confident that international recognition of the Genocide will help
Turkey to come to terms with its own past and to overcome the complex
which is inherited from generation to generation and which creates
additional complexities in the relations of our neighboring nations.

I once again welcome all of you and wish you effective work. Thank you.

Genocide condemnation becomes international imperative

20.04.2005 13:53

YEREVAN (YERKIR) – Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanian made
opening remarks at the international conference titled “Ultimate Crime,
Ultimate Challenge,” launched in Yerevan on Wednesday.

Welcoming over 50 scholars, historians and experts from 50 countries
worldwide, Oskanian said that the objective of the conference is to
comprehend the causes of this crime, and to find means for preventing
future genocides.

Catholicos Garegin II, in turn, indicated that for the Armenian people,
it is comforting to know that the Armenian Genocide, perpetrated in
the Ottoman Empire in the beginning of the 20th century, is in the
focus of the international community. “For Turkey too, the recognition
of the Genocide would become a real achievement in human rights and
democracy without which Turkey would have troubles to build a free
and happy life,” he added

Belarusian defence minister upbeat on cooperation with Russia

Belapan news agency, Minsk
20 Apr 05

Minsk, 20 April: Joint handling of defence policy issues and the
development of relations between the defence ministries lay a solid
basis for long-time mutually beneficial cooperation both within the
framework of the [Russian-Belarusian] union state and the Collective
Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) [member states are Armenia,
Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Russia], and,
partially, within the CIS framework. Belarusian Defence Minister
Col-Gen Leanid Maltsaw said this on 20 April in Minsk speaking at a
joint board session of the defence ministries of Belarus and Russia.

He said that the two countries’ defence ministries made a significant
progress in some directions last year, in particular concerning the
implementation of the union state’s military doctrine, the military
organization establishment, the planning and realization of joint
military and military-technical events, as well as the unification
of the Belarusian and Russian defence legislation, social security
of the military and their family members.

Maltsaw described a joint command-post exercise of the allied command
of the regional group of forces as a major event in 2004 which was
aimed at working out single approaches to guaranteeing the union
state’s security.

Those attending the board session include the Russian ambassador to
Belarus, Aleksandr Blokhin, CSTO Secretary-General Nikolay Bordyuzha,
representatives of the union state’s permanent committee, the chief of
the Belarusian State Military-Industrial Committee, Mikalay Azamataw,
representatives of the Council of Ministers and the Belarusian
Foreign Ministry.

The session is taking place at the Central Officers’ House. Special
equipment has been switched on to make sure GSM-communications cannot
be used.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Canada’s capital commemorates Armenian Genocide

20.04.2005 13:49

YEREVAN (YERKIR) – April 2005 marks the 90th anniversary of the first
genocide of the 20th century, the Armenian Genocide of 1915. To mark
this important date and honor the victims of the Armenian Genocide
and the victims of genocides that have tragically continued since
1915, the Diocese of the Armenian Church of Canada held an important
Ecumenical and Interfaith prayer and commemoration service at Notre
Dame Cathedral in Ottawa on Friday night April 15, 2005.

This commemoration was notable and received broad coverage from the
media, including CTV Night News, in depth articles in, The Ottawa
Citizen, interviews on local radio stations and many Ottawa area
community newspapers, including the Ottawa Metro.

Honorable Ed Broadbent, former leader of the New Democratic Party,
first president of the International Human Rights Centre, and current
MP for Ottawa Centre, delivered a powerful speech as the ceremony’s
guest speaker.

Mr. Broadbent conveyed to the congregation that “The massacre of
Armenians in 1915 was a clear undisputed act of genocide. While it is
hard to imagine anything worse than war, genocide is, because people
are selected for systematic murder not for what they have done or
for the territory they occupy ~@” but simply for who they are”.

Spiritual leaders from 28 different Church denominations and Interfaith
groups offered their prayers for the victims of genocide and all
violence. Salutations were also offered by Ven. Dr. Thero Sirisumana
Walasmullage of the Buddhist community of Ottawa, and by Mr. Pon
AdcharaMoorthy of the Hindu Community of Ottawa.

Rabbi Reuven Bulka of the Jewish community of Ottawa provided the
salutation of his community, remarking “As you contemplate the great
evil that was heaped upon your community, you cannot even be offered
the comfort that the world has learned a lesson, and this was the
last genocide. Far from it.

The holocaust unfolded not too long after the Armenian genocide. And
most recently, we know all too well what happened in Rwanda, and what
is happening in Darfur, even as we speak~@¦.We need to say a loud,
thunderous NO to the slightest bigotry, the smallest hate, the most
minute racism.”

Dr. Imam Gamal Suleiman of the Muslim community of Ottawa provided
his prayer that “We should strive to learn the truth about the past
and learn from it, not to create or perpetuate hatreds or build walls
between us but to learn from history, seek forgiveness, cleanse our
hearts, and love other creations of God as our larger family.”

The Primate of the Canadian Diocese of the Armenian Holy Apostolic
Church, His Eminence Bishop Bagrat Galstanian, led the commemoration
service.

The Bishop emphasized that “we are here to join our hands with
the people of good will and raise up our voice against those who
perpetrated the Holocaust, the massacres and ethnic cleansings in
Africa, Poland, the Ukraine, Paraguay, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Rwanda,
East Timor, among other countries, and to say: NEVER AGAIN.”

Bishop Galstanian also proudly stated “we are here not to mourn
but rather to celebrate the martyrdom of a people who has finally
liberated itself from the shackles of a victim and emerged from the
ashes as a victorious nation.”

The service exuded a sense of triumph, and an overwhelming feeling
of hope for the future. One of the few remaining Armenian genocide
survivors, Mrs. Hrachoui Brown, provided a touching and poetic
connection to the tragic past. Mrs. Brown expressed her heartfelt
thanks to Canada for accepting refugees and immigrants and providing
them with a safe and free environment in which to grow and flourish.

Mrs. Brown lit the candles of four young members of the new generation
of Armenians, Chatigne Tachdjian (age 6), Raffi Avedissian (age 7),
Rita Dukmajian (age 10), and Arees Aharonian (age 13). This flame
of remembrance was then passed from these young torchbearers to each
person throughout the church, as the lights in the Church were brought
down to create, a beautiful visual portrait and deep spiritual sense
of peace.

The keynote speaker of the evening was the Archbishop of the Roman
Catholic Archdiocese of Ottawa, His Eminence Marcel Gervais. Archbishop
Gervais echoed the theme of memory and forgiveness, stating that
“~@¦memory can feed vengeance and hatred and it can also support
the resolution that such crimes should never happen again, “never
again” to anyone, anywhere.” The Archbishop also quoted the words of
the late Pope John Paul II, who wrote in his message on World Day of
Peace 2002, ~@~XPeace is essential for development, but true peace is
made possible only through forgiveness~@¦.No peace without justice,
no justice without forgiveness.”

The combination of the presence of the participating spiritual leaders,
the thoughtful messages of the speakers, the candle-lighting ceremony,
and the beautiful ancient Armenian hymns, sung by the choir of
St. Gregory the Illuminator from Montreal left the capacity audience
in the large thousand people Notre Dame Cathedral, contemplating the
history of genocide and a renewed hope for the future.

The Diocese was honoured to have among the invitees, representatives
from some 30 embassies and corresponding number of ethnic community
leaders. Bishop Galstanian acknowledged their participation. Notable
among these was H.E. Ara Papian, Ambassador of Armenia to Canada and
his family.

The ecumenical service in Ottawa is part of a Canada-wide commemoration
campaign organized by the Canadian Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic
Orthodox Church in association with religious figures of many
denominations and faiths. Similar interfaith services will be held
in Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver.

–Boundary_(ID_BPGT2swZA8KHslsZlrqEig)–

YOUTH OF NAGORNY KARABAKH CONCERNED OVER STATE OF ARMENIAN MONUMENTS IN AZERBAIJAN, GEORGIA AND TURKEY

STEPANAKERT, APRIL 19. ARMINFO. The youth of Nagorny Karabakh is
concerned over the state of Armenian monuments in Azerbaijan, Georgia
and Turkey.

According to ARMINFO’s special correspondent to Stepanakert, on April
18 in connection with the International Day of Protection of Monuments
and Historical Sights, a number of youth organizations of NKR applied
to the authorities, priesthood and youth of Azerbaijan., Georgia
and Turkey urging for at least tolerate attitude to the Armenian
historical monuments under their patronage. The appeal welcomes the
cleaning of a number of territories of historical and architectural
monuments, including, the mosque “Govher agha” in the town of Shushi,
as well as the joint action of protest of Georgian and Armenian Youth
in Georgia against immoral attitude of the Georgian authorities and
priesthood to the Armenian monuments.

The youth organizations of Karabakh applied to the UNESCO Director
General Koichiro Matsuura asking for application of its levers of
influence to urge Azerbaijan, Turkey and Georgia to display tolerate
attitude to the Armenian monuments in their countries.

CONCERT DEDICATED TO 90TH ANNIVERSARY OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE IN OTTOMAN TURKEY HELD IN OPERA THEATRE OF BUENOS-AIRES

YEREVAN, APRIL 19. ARMINFO. A concert dedicated to the 90th anniversary
of Armenian Genocide in Ottoman Turkey in 1915 was held in opera
theatre of Buenos Aires.

ARMINFO was informed in the State Committee for organization
of arrangements dedicated to the 90th anniversary of Armenian
Genocide. High-ranking officials of the government of Argentina,
parliamentarians, intellectuals, representatives of Armenian community
of Argentina, diplomats and journalists attended the concert.

RECOGNITION OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE IN OTTOMAN TURKEY ON THE AGENDA OF HUNGARIAN PARLIAMENT

YEREVAN, APRIL 19. ARMINFO. The issue of recognition of Armenian
Genocide in Ottoman TUrkey in 1915 is being considered by the
Commission for human rights of Hungary’s parliament. Chairman of
“All-Armenian forum of Europe” Alex Avanesian informed journalists,
Tuesday.

According to him, the next official step must be the elaboration of
a relevant legislation by the Hungarian parliament. The chairman
thinks that the reason for the belated reaction of the Hungarian
legislative body to the Armenian Genocide is the insufficient public
awareness of public and political forces of Hungary in this issue. ,
Avanesian stressed.