PanArmenian News
March 21 2005

ARMENIAN FM: ARMENIAN GENOCIDE PROBLEM BECAME COMMON TO ALL MANKIND

21.03.2005 02:40

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The recognition of the Armenian Genocide is not
only an Armenian issue any longer, RA FM Vardan Oskanian stated in
his interview to the Armenian Public Television. In his words this
problem has become common to Europe and moreover to all mankind, as
the denial of the Armenian Genocide gives trouble to everyone. The
UN recent report focused on efficiency of withstanding the challenges
threatening the humanity to date. In this report the idea of Genocide
is defined as a challenge which still menaces the mankind. “This very
challenge became the priority topic of my recent speech at the 61-st
session of the UN Commission on Human Rights”, Vardan Oskanian said.

Nagorno-Karabakh’s defense chief blames Azerbaijan for tensions

The Associated Press
03/21/05 15:39 EST

YEREVAN, Armenia (AP) – The military chief of the disputed enclave
of Nagorno-Karabakh on Monday accused Azerbaijan of fomenting tension
along a volatile buffer zone.

Seiran Oganian said that Azerbaijani forces had tried repeatedly to
advance their positions, but were rebuffed. “Neither us nor Azerbaijani
people need these provocations,” Oganian said.

Azerbaijan and Armenia have blamed each other for the skirmishes that
have intensified recently along the buffer zone.

Nagorno-Karabakh has been under the control of ethnic Armenians since
the early 1990s, following fighting that killed an estimated 30,000
people. A cease-fire was signed in 1994, but the enclave’s final
political status has not been determined, and shooting breaks out
frequently between the two sides, which face off across a demilitarized
buffer zone.

The Armenian forces also hold some territory adjacent to
Nagorno-Karabakh.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

TATUL MARGARIAN TO REPLACE ARMEN KIRAKOSIAN AS AMBASSADOR
EXTRAORDINARY AND PLENIPOTENTIARY OF ARMENIA TO USA

YEREVAN, MARCH 21, NOYAN TAPAN. On March 19 RA President Robert
Kocharian sighed a decree to relieve Arman Kirakosian of the post
of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of
Armenia to the United States of America. As Noyan Tapan was informed
from the RA President’s Press Office, according to the President’s
decrees sighed the same day, Tatul Margarian was relieved of the
post of the Deputy Foreign Minister of the Republic of Armenia and
appointed him the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of
the Republic of Armenia to the United States of America. RA FM Press
and Information Department gave Tatul Margarian’s biographical datas.
Tatul Margarian was born in town of Kapan on April 16, 1964. In 1985
he graduated from Yerevan Public Economy Institute, then entered
post-graduate study of the same Institute and in 1989 he became a
doctor of economy. He continued his education in the International
Studies Faculty of the Washington (USA) Johns Hopkins University and
received MS in the International Studies. He is a doctorant at the
International Relations Department of the London (Great Britain)
Politics and Economy University. In 1990-1991 he worked as the
Assistant to the RA Supreme Council Deputy Chairman. In 1991-1994
he was the Assistant to RA Vice-President, for some time realizing
duties of the Head of the RA Prime-Minister’s staff, and then was the
Adviser to the RA Vice-President. In 1994-1998 he was the RA Embassy
Councellor to USA, then the Extraordinary Envoy and Plenipotentiary
Minister, the Vice-Head of the Diplomatic Mission. In January,
1999 he was appointed the Adviser to the RA Foreing Minister, in
June, 2000 the RA Foreign Affairs Deputy Minister. In 2002-2003 he
was the RA President’s special representative in the negotiations of
the Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement. Has diplomatic degree of RA
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary. Knows English, Russian.
Married, has a son.

REP. LANGEVIN SAYS IT’S “CRITICALLY IMPORTANT” FOR U.S. TO RECOGNIZE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

WASHINGTON, MARCH 21, NOYAN TAPAN. Representative James Langevin
(D-RI), a well-known champion of Armenian issues, is urging President
Bush to follow the example of other leading U.S. public officials
and formally recognize the Armenian Genocide in his statement of
remembrance next month, the Armenian Assembly of America reported.
Langevin, in a statement issued on March 17 to Congress, urged Bush
to properly label the atrocities as U.S. Ambassador to Armenia John
Evans so candidly did during his meetings with Armenian-Americans
throughout the U.S. last month. During those public exchanges,
Evans declared that “the Armenian Genocide was the first genocide of
the twentieth century.” “By employing this term, the Ambassador is
building on previously made statements by Presidents Regan and Bush,
as well as the repeated declarations of numerous world-renowned
scholars,” Langevin said. “In effect, Evans has done nothing more
than succinctly name the conclusions enunciated by those before him.”
Langevin, a member of the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues,
noted that Evans’ remarks correspond with the signed statements of over
120 renowned Holocaust and Genocide scholars on the “incontestable
fact of the Armenian Genocide,” and that of the International Center
for Transitional Justice on the use of the term Armenian Genocide,
which states that: “The Events, viewed collectively, can thus be said
to include all of the elements of the crime of genocide as defined in
the Convention, and legal scholars as well as historians, politicians,
journalists and other people would be justified in continuing to so
describe them.” Langevin also said that the ability of Armenians
to survive in the face of repression is a testament to their will
to survive. “Therefore, it is critically important that the United
States speak with one voice in condemning the horrors committed
against the Armenians,” he concluded. In other news, Langevin this
week signed his support to a congressional letter to President Bush,
asking that he acknowledge this crime against humanity. The letter,
initiated by Armenian Caucus Co-Chairmen Joe Knollenberg (R-MI) and
Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), currently has the backing of 75 Members
of the House of Representatives.

HOVHANNES HOVHANNISIAN: “I WOULDN’T LIKE US TO CARRY ON NEGATIVE POLICY TO ARMENIA”

YEREVAN, MARCH 21, NOYAN TAPAN. Our only resource in the Karabakh
issue is democracy and we reduced this resource to zero and therefore,
equalized ourselves with Azerbaijan, which, in difference to us,
is rich in natural resources.” Hovhannes Hovhannisian, Chairman of
the Liberal-Progressive Party of Armenia, declared this at the March
19 meeting with journalists. According to him, the last documents
adopted at international instances are the result of Armenia’s foreign
policy. H.Hovhannisian draw special attention to the statatement
of Elizabeth Jones, former US Assistant Secretary for State for
Europe and Eurasia, and emphasized that it is not accidental and
is not the opinion of a separate official in the US administration,
such aproach is the reflection of this country’s foreign policy, the
results of which may be very serious for Armenia. Answering Noyan
Tapan’s question, what does he think about the connection between
such approach of the US and possible development of processes in
Armenia itself, Hovhannes Hovhannisian answered: “I wouldn’t like
the US to carry on negative policy in relation to Armenia. If it
begins speaking to Russia in a rigid language this will become a very
heavy burden.” According to him, the reason of a rigid policy that
may be carried on by the US in relation to Armenia may become the
corruption existing in all spheres, the totalitarian order and the
fact that all the economic levers are in the hands of a small group
of persons.” As for the forthcoming visit of RF President Vladimir
Putin to Yerevan, the LPPA leader declared that he considers this
visit in the context of Russian-American negotiations connected with
the post-Soviet countries, i.e., according to him, the US raised and
is realizing the exact problem of democratization of the post-Soviet
area while Russia continues considering the post-Soviet countries its
out-post. In H.Hovhannisian’s estimation, the way out of the formed
situation may be Russia’s concentration on its domestic problems
“the number of which is sufficient” and V.Putin should display the
corresponding political will for this.

PanArmenian News
March 21 2005

ARMENIAN AND AZERI PARLIAMENTARIANS MET IN BRUSSELS WITH NATO
SECRETARY GENERAL~RS REPRESENTATIVE FOR SOUTH CAUCASUS

21.03.2005 05:14

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian and Azeri parliamentarians met in Brussels
with NATO Secretary General’s Representative for South Caucasus
and Central Asia Robert Simmons. During the meeting Azeri deputy
Sattar Safarov stated that the Armenian side every day violates the
cease-fire regime. In his turn Mr. Simmons noted that he will bring
these facts to the notion of the NATO Secretary General and expressed
hope that the Nagorno Karabakh conflict will be settled on the basis
of international legal principles.
From: Baghdasarian

PanArmenian News
March 21 2005

18 ARMENIAN CITIZENS DEPORTED FROM KRASNODAR RUSSIAN TOWN

21.03.2005 04:52

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ On March 1918 Armenian citizens , who were working
in different towns of the region without having a temporary
registration, were deported from Kuban, Russia. The illegal migrants
are making this forced journey at the expense of the Federal
Treasury.

PanArmenian News
March 21 2005

ROBERT KOCHARIAN: YEAR OF RUSSIA IN ARMENIA TO REPLENISH
ARMENIAN-RUSSIAN AGENDA WITH NEW IDES AND PROJECTS

21.03.2005 04:43

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenia people are fond of Russian art are
impatiently awaiting meetings with the Russian cultural workers,
the message of Armenian President Robert Kocharian addressed to
Vladimir Putin on occasion of the opening of the Year of Russia in
Armenia says. The document highlights the communication between the
representatives of science and education, business associations of
Armenia and Russia as well as contacts at the regional level. “It is
symbolic that that the Year of Russia in Armenia coincides with the
celebrations of the 60-th anniversary of the victory over Fascism.
This heroic page of our common history tied the fate of our peoples”,
Robert Kocharian noted. “I would like to express assurance that
the conduction of the year of Russia in Armenia will replenish the
Armenian-Russian agenda with new ides and projects”, the message runs.

PanArmenian News
March 21 2005

BAKU CONTENT WITH REPORT OF OSCE FACT-FINDING MISSION TO TERRITORIES
SURROUNDING NAGORNO KARABAKH

21.03.2005 04:27

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Baku is content with the report of the OSCE
Fact-Finding Mission to the territories surrounding Nagorno Karabakh,
Echo Azeri daily writes. Deputy Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan Araz
Azimov stated that “on the whole Azerbaijan has achieved its goal.”
He reminded that by initiating the discussion of the issue at the 59-th
session of the UN General Assembly Azerbaijan was aspired to attract
the attention of the international community to “the policy of illegal
settling of these territories pursued by Armenia”. “Azerbaijan never
insisted on possessing absolutely precise data regarding the settling
of these territories. But the facts established by the Mission are
close to those Azerbaijan possesses”, he said. “I would like to note
that the Armenian Foreign Ministry gives rather one-sided assessment
to the outcomes of the Mission”, Araz Azimov added. In his words, the
report and recommendations of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs allow the
Azeri party to appeal to the corresponding UN Agencies for assistance
in their realization. This, in his opinion, can become a theme for
a new UN draft resolution. Azimov also stated that Azerbaijan will
press for inclusion of the issue in the agenda of the 60-th session of
the UN General Assembly. According to him, “Armenia’s responsibility
for the settling of the occupied territories is obvious”. Touching
upon the continuation of the dialogue with Armenia, Azimov said that
the recurrent meeting of the FMs is scheduled for mid-April.

NKR DEFENSE MINISTER CALLED AZERBAIJAN TO STOP PROVOCATION

PanArmenian News
March 21 2005

21.03.2005 04:13

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Karabakh Defense Minister Seyran Ohanian called
Azerbaijan to put an end to provocation. “Adhering to the peaceful
settlement of the Karabakh conflict we call the Azerbaijani leadership
to be mote considerate and undertake measures to alleviate tension
at the contact line. This provocation policy is useful neither for
our people nor for Azeris”, Seyran Ohanian stated when commenting on
the situation at the contact line of the Karabakh and Azeri armed
forces. The Minister noted that the Azeri side is creating tension
trying to advance its positions. At that he reported that the NKR
Defense Army undertakes appropriate measures to secure the front
line. “The defensive capacity of our army is at a proper level and
we are ready to provide security of our country and people”, Seyran
Ohanian said. In his words, since 1994 Azerbaijan has been making
anti-Armenian statements in an attempt to mislead the international
community.