A1plus
13.04.2005

CRIMINALS IN THE AUTHORITIES

“The heads of the authorities are criminal elements”, said Ashot
Manoucharyan, representative of the Socialistic Armenia Union during
the meeting of the Justice bloc today.

Saying criminal elements he did not mean people who have come to
power and become corrupted;. He did not mean those who have come from
the Kosh colony and take power. According to Mr. Manoucharyan, the
heads of the authorities are worse.

In the Kosh colony one can hardly find people who have committed such
crimes as the government members… In the Kosh colony one can hardly
find someone who has committed 6 grave crimes, and there is such a
person in the high-ranked officials of Armenia;, announced Ashot
Manoucharyan.
From: Baghdasarian

A1plus

13:12:37 | 14-04-2005 | Politics |

US SECRETARY OF STATE TO VISIT SOUTHERN CAUCASUS

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will visit Southern Caucasus in the
first decade of May, reports day.az quoting diplomatic sources.

During her meetings with the authorities of Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia
Mrs Rice will discuss bilateral relations of US and the countries of the
Southern Caucasus, as well as issues of democratization, military and
political cooperation and matters concerning resolution of regional
conflicts.

While meeting with the Armenian and Azeri officials the US Secretary of
State will also touch upon the issues on Nagorno Karabakh conflict
settlement in detail.

Pan Armenian News

ISRAELI REPRESENTATIVES TO ADDRESS FORUM ON ARMENIAN GENOCIDE 90-TH
ANNIVERSARY

14.04.2005 03:46

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Ultimate Crime, Ultimate Challenges: Genocide and Human
Rights international forum devoted to the 90-th anniversary of the Armenian
Genocide will be held in Yerevan April 20-21. The event is organized by the
National Commission for the Commemoration of the 90-th Anniversary of the
Armenian Genocide, Regnum news agency reported. Armenian President Robert
Kocharian and Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II will address the forum
opening. Former President of Poland Lech Walesa, as well as Juan Mendez (New
York), the United Nations Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide
President of the International Center for Transitional Justice will address
the conference. The agenda includes 5 sessions: the Desecration of Human
Rights, Past and Present, the Ultimate Crime, Prevention and Action,
Ultimate Challenge: Truth, Reconciliation, and Transitional Justice,
Turkish-Armenian Relations: Divided by History United by Geography. William
Schabas (Galway) Director of the Irish Human Rights Center, National
University of Ireland will deliver a report titled Crimes against Humanity
in International Law. Alfred de Zayas, Former Secretary, UN Human Rights
Commission, Visiting Professor of Law; Secretary-General, PEN Centre,
Geneva, Switzerland will make a report on the Human Rights and International
Law, Genocide Denial as Continued Repression of Human Rights report will be
made by Israel Charny (Jerusalem) Executive Director, Institute on the
Holocaust and Genocide, Professor of Psychology and Family Therapy, Hebrew
University of Jerusalem, Yossi Sarid (Jerusalem), Member of the Israeli
Knesset, Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, and Education and Culture
Committee; Chair, Meretz Movement will speak on Jewish People’s Obligations
to Other Victims, while Yair Auron (Jerusalem), the Open University of
Israel and Kibbutzim College of Education – on the Pain of Knowledge;
Reflections on Holocaust and Genocide Issues in Education. Many other
scientists and guest from the U.S., Canada, Denmark, Armenia, France will
also appear at the meeting, Jewish.ru reported.

Pan Armenian News

NO PROPOSAL TO FORM ARMENIAN-TURKISH EXPERT COMMISSION FOR STUDY OF FACTS ON
ARMENIAN GENOCIDE RECEIVED BY KOCHARIAN ADMINISTRATION

14.04.2005 02:32

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Administration of President of Armenia Robert
Kocharian did not receive a letter from Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
Erdogan, proposing to form a bilateral expert commission for study of facts
on the Armenian Genocide in Ottoman Turkey in 1915, stated Victor
Soghomonian, the Press Secretary of the Armenian leader. Meanwhile, as
reported by AFP agency, Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul stated in the
Parliament Wednesday that Erdogan has sent a letter to Kocharian proposing
to form the aforementioned commission. According to the sources, Turkey is
ready to hold talks with Armenia over the composition and the work of the
Commission. It could have become a step toward the normalization of the
relations between Armenia and Turkey, the report says.

PRESS RELEASE
Armenian Genocide Commemoration Committee – Lebanon
Arax Street, Bourj Hammoud, Metn 1203 2050 – Lebanon
Armenian Prelacy of Lebanon
Contact: Hovig Hovhannesian
Tel: 00961 1258300
Cel: 00961 3043727
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:

The AGCC through its numerous subcommittees has embarked on several cultural,
publishing, documentation, educational events aiming at raising awareness about
the first Genocide of the 20th century committed by the Turks between the years
1915 and 1923.
The Committee intends to permanently update the media about these initiatives,
which reflect the Armenian collective will in demanding the Turkish recognition
of the Armenian Genocide and in the restoration of the Armenian rights.
We, the rightful inheritors of the Armenian Cause, have the obligation of
embracing our responsibilities in order to erase the consequences of the
Turkish crime and to achieve justice for our Nation.
The committee has already started its activities. The essay and drawing
contests intended for all students is already on the way.
On the 22nd of April, student genocide commemoration event will be held at the
Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia headquarters in Antelias.
On the 23rd of April the central commemoration event will be held also in
Antelias.
In May, a collective concert, performed by school students will be held at
UNESCO hall, organized by the educational subcommittee.
Also in April, several commemoration events will be organized in many Lebanese
universities and a campaign to fill questionnaires about the Genocide victims
will be launched.
In the near future, the Committee will organize an international conference
with Armenian, Turkish, French, US, German and Arab participants. The Committee
will also publish a book containing all the documents and declarations
recognizing and condemning the Armenian Genocide.
The Committee also has more ambitious plans which will be reported regularly.
On the 1st of April, the main lecture organized by the youth and student
subcommittee was held at West Hall, AUB.
Since April 1st the committee’s website is online.

The Messenger, Georgia
April 14 2005

Zhvania’s death accidental, reiterates general prosecutor

Adeishvili comments on arrest of Zhordania, conviction of
Mirtskhulava
By Mary Makharashvili

General Prosecutor Zurab Adeishvili stated categorically on Tuesday
that the late Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania died because of a tragic
accident.

He dismissed statements by the families of Zhvania and Raul Usupov,
whose bodies were found in an apartment belonging to Usapov’s father,
expressing suspicions regarding the deaths of the two men, and
concerns that the investigation was fair.

Usapov’s father has stated that the two men “did not see each other
alive that evening,” while Zhvania’s brother Giorgi Zhvania said that
no fingerprints of the two men were found in the apartment.
Adeishvili, however, declared on Tuesday “Usupov and Zhvania were
definitely in the apartment together.”

The general prosecutor was speaking on Imedi TV program The Firsts.
As well as commenting on the late PM’s death, he also spoke about the
recent conviction of former minister of fuel and energy Davit
Mirtskhulava, and the detention last week of president of the
Georgian Football Federation Merab Zhordania.

Adeishvili noted that Zhordania was arrested on charges of
transferring money from an unregistered Tbilisi Dynamo bank account
in Switzerland to his own private account. “This constitutes,” he
said, “stealing state funds.”

Asked by Imedi journalist Inga Grigolia to comment on rumors that
Zhordania was arrested because he had refused to step down from the
post of Football Federation president, and that the detainee himself
had described his arrest as “political revenge,” the general
prosecutor replied, “we have enough evidence that he has committed a
crime and we are obliged to bring this case to its conclusion.”

Adeishvili stated that paying money to the state does not mean that
Zhordania should be released, and added that he was not aware of any
appeal sent to his office by the Football Federation. He added that
prosecutors would try to complete the investigation as quickly as
possible so as to put the case before the court for consideration.

Turning to the recent conviction of Davit Mirtskhulava, Adeishvili
explained that the charges were related to the payment of USD 7
million to a mediator company which then disappeared with the
apparent knowledge of Mirtskhulava.

“Georgia had a debt to Armenia of about USD 4.5 million. Then somehow
as a result of negotiations this debt rose to USD 7 million. The
Georgian side paid this sum to a Russian firm which did not pay it to
the Armenian side, meaning that today, despite the fact that we paid
over USD 7 million, Georgia still has a debt of USD 4.5 million to
Armenia,” he said.

“The millions disappeared in the mediator firm and all the evidence
points to the fact that Mirtskhulava knew the mediator firm did not
complete the transfer of the USD 7 million to the Armenian side and
did not stop this,” Adeishvili stated.

“Any state official is obliged to defend the interests of the state
and to act according to those interests. We are sure that Mirskhulava
made a great violation in this regard,” he added.

Asked to comment on rumors that former high ranking officials who
have bought their way out of jail in fact paid much higher sums than
officially stated by government members, Adeishvili said that anyone
interested in this can get the information, “which is not secret.”

“Any high-ranking official involved in corruption will be strictly
punished, no matter what position they have. We will not step back.
We have also detained many people even from our authority. We will
continue this in the future as well,” Adeishvili declared.

Journal of Turkish weekly
April 14 2005

Turkish Army: Our Archives are Open to All

ANKARA – Turkish General Staff declared yesterday that all army
historical archives are open to all researchers including Armenians.
General Karakus said “according to the existing Turkish laws the
archives of the General Staff are open to all researchers.”

Institute of Military History and Strategic Studies (Ankara) also
decided to publish all documents regarding the Armenian issue.

JTW with news agencies
14 April 2005

Journal of Turkish weekly
April 14 2005

Ankara Sends Letter to Yerevan

Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said in the Turkish national
parliament Wednesday that Turkish prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan had
sent a letter to President Robert Kocharian containing a proposal to
set up a commission that would study the facts of extermination of
ethnic Armenians in 1915.

FM Gul also said Turkey was ready to hold talks with Armenia on the
personalities to work on the commission and the methodology of their
activity. Ankara believes this might help normalize relations between
the two neighboring countries.

JTW with news agenices
14 April 2005

PRESS RELEASE

The Genocide Education Project
“Learning the Past, Building the Future”
51 Commonwealth Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94118
(415) 264-4203
[email protected]

Contact: Raffi Momjian (415) 264-4203

THE GENOCIDE EDUCATION PROJECT ESTABLISHED
htm

San Francisco, CA – The Genocide Education Project proudly announces its
formal establishment as a non-profit educational organization and the
recent hiring of Sara Cohan as its Education Director.

The mission of The Genocide Education Project is to assist educators in
teaching about human rights and genocide, particularly the Armenian
Genocide, by developing and distributing instructional materials,
providing access to teaching resources and organizing educational workshops.

“We’re excited that The Genocide Education Project has become a
full-fledged non-profit organization, and that Sara Cohan, an
exceedingly qualified and enthusiastic educator has come on board,’ said
Raffi Momjian, Executive Director. “We’re eager to put into motion many
of the ideas we’ve been developing to encourage educators to teach the
lessons of genocide to their students.’

In addition to reaching out to public school districts about the
importance of genocide and human rights education, organizing workshops
for teachers, distributing resources and lesson plans to be used in the
classroom, The Genocide Education Project maintains a website at
This cyber resource library was published
specifically for teachers, providing resources for classroom use about
the Armenian Genocide and other gross human rights violations.

The Genocide Education Project has published a comprehensive binder for
educators that includes step-by-step lessons to use in the classroom as
well as information about other curriculum, videos, books, and
discussion topics. The binder, “Human Rights and Genocide: A Case
Study of the First Genocide of the 20th Century’ is sponsored by the San
Francisco Unified School District and was developed in close cooperation
with San Francisco high school history teachers.

Sara Cohan, the organization’s new Education Director, was a classroom
teacher in Florida for five years. She has a Master’s Degree in Social
Science Education, received a Fulbright-Hayes Fellowship, and served as
the Research Fellow at Teaching Tolerance, a project of the Southern
Poverty Law Center. Cohan also served on state and national education
committees and was a research associate at the Armenian National
Institute. After serving briefly as a volunteer for The Genocide
Education Project, she welcomed the opportunity to serve the
organization in a more comprehensive manner.

“I am looking forward to serving an organization with the mission of The
Genocide Education Project,’ said Cohan. “Incorporating human rights and
genocide education in the classroom is an important step in training
young people to be proactive when genocidal events occur in the future.”

The Genocide Education Project began seven years ago as the Genocide
Curriculum Project, one of the many public education initiatives of the
Bay Area Armenian National Committee. When members recognized that the
Armenian Genocide was generally not being taught in public schools,
despite a 15-year old California law mandating instruction of the
Armenian Genocide, an effort was conceived to reach out to school
districts, reminding them of the need for instruction on this crucial
part of modern history. With the publication of the “Human Rights and
Genocide” lesson plans and TeachGenocide.org website, volunteers began
the process of establishing a new organization whose mission is to help
institutionalize public education about the Armenian Genocide and the
problem of genocide and human rights violations. Volunteers from
Southern California, New York, Washington DC and Chicago joined the
effort to reach school districts all over the country, and the process
of establishing a new organization and receiving non-profit status began
in 2004. Tax-exempt, 501(c)(3) status is now pending and expected to be
complete within the coming year. For more information about the efforts
of The Genocide Education Project please visit their website at

The Genocide Education Project is a nonprofit organization that assists
educators in teaching about human rights and genocide, particularly the
Armenian Genocide, by developing and distributing instructional
materials, providing access to teaching resources and organizing
educational workshops.

Journal of Turkish Weekly, Turkey
April 14 2005

Yerevan Rejects Turkish PM Erdogan’s Dialogue Letter

Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul revealed in Ankara that Prime
Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan wrote to Armenian President Robert
Kocharian recently, proposing the creation of a joint
Turkish-Armenian commission

ANKARA (JTW) Turkish Grand National Parliament first time in its
history made a general session to discuss the Armenian issue. Turkish
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said in the session that Prime Minister
Erdogan sent a letter to Armenian President Robert Kocharian. Turkish
PM Erdogan called Armenian President to establish a joint dialogue
commission. However, Gul said, Yerevan rejected the offer.

Abdullah Gul further added:

“We informed them that if our proposal is accepted, we are ready to
negotiate with Armenia on how the commission will be established and
how it will work and that such an initiative will serve to normalize
relations between the two countries,’ Gul told a special session of
the Turkish parliament… I repeat this appeal once again… Turkey is
ready to face its history, Turkey has no problem with its history.”

Turkish PM Erdogan had declared on Wednesday that Ankara is prepared
for an “open discussion” on the highly sensitive subject as he met
members of his Justice and Development Party (AKP). Erdogan said `we
have nothing to be afraid. We have no problem with our history’.
Erdogan further called the Armenian groups to open their archives to
all researchers.

Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian, however rejected all
dialogue calls and accused Turkey of playing a game.

JTW