ASBAREZ Online [03-18-2005]

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03/18/2005
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1) ARF Responds to Georgian Official’s Slanderous Accusations
2) Rights Group Calls Level of Abuses in Turkey Still ‘Unacceptable’
3) Russia and Georgia to Hold Talks over Bases by End of Month
4) ANC Leads Effort to Address Problems at Grant High School
5) ANCG Hosts Afternoon with Endorsed Candidates
6) Celebrated Comedian Vahe Berberian to Perform for Anahid Oshagan Campaign
7) AYF Camp: Building for Our Future
8) Electoral Idiots

1) ARF Responds to Georgian Official’s Slanderous Accusations

In a recent interview published in the Georgian newspaper “Rao-Rao,”
advisor to
Georgian president Saakashvilli Georgi Gachechiladze, leveled serious charges
against the Armenian Revolutionary Federation. In the March 14 publication,
Gachechiladze alledged that according to records of a closed session of a
Russian Security Service meeting, released to him in 1991 by former Georgian
president Georgian Zviad Gamsakhurdia, then Russian President Yeltsin’s
“national security advisor” A. Mihranian [who never held that title] told that
session, “It is imperative to direct the energy of people of the North
Caucusus
to work against Georgia.”
Gachechiladze expounded, telling the paper that the approach is a classic
doctrine of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation, which envisions Georgia’s
collapse by way of the North Caucasus–for the creation of a “Greater Armenia”
that expands toward the Black Sea and Abkhazia.
Asked how Georgia would react if internal political forces sought to seceded
from Georgia, Gachechiladze pointed to Javakhk Armenians, saying that it was
exactly for that reason that they were slaughtered and subsequently driven
from
Turkey. “Coaxed by Tsarist Russia, those Armenians were ultimately betrayed;
some found haven in Georgia. I don’t think that they would blindly assume that
role, once again, under the influence of Russia.”
Responding to Gachechiladze’s remarks, the Armenian Revolutionary Federation
released the following statement:

1. The Armenian Revolutionary Federation has never sought and does not seek
“Georgia’s destruction through North Caucasus.” The ARF is pursuing the
protection of the rights of the Armenians of Javakhk within Georgia.
Statements
such as those made by the Georgian president’s advisor may only foment
disturbance in the Caucasus.

2. On the eve of the 90th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, the Georgian
president’s advisor insults the memory of the Genocide victims, accusing them
of becoming a blind tool in the hands of others. Actually, he is repeating the
official position of Turkey, the perpetrator of the Genocide. Such a
reprehensible stance of the Georgian president’s advisor is incompatible to
the
high office he holds.

3. The Georgian presidential advisor’s threats directed at the Javakhk
Armenians are basis to suspect that the attempts to initiate disruption in
Javakhk are aimed at justifying those very threats. The Georgian presidential
advisor’s intimidating tone is unbecoming of a state that claims to be a
champion of democracy; it resembles the style of dictators speaking to their
subjects in tyrannies.

4. The level of the Georgian presidential advisor’s ignorance may be low
enough to call a Yeltsin aide an ARF member, but it should not be as low as to
overlook the real problems in Javakhk.

5. The ARF is ready to assist the Georgian authorities in protecting the
political and civil rights of the Javakhk Armenians as well as resolving their
socio-economic problems if the Georgian authorities take such steps.
Continuing
the discriminatory policies of the Georgian authorities towards the Javakhk
Armenians can not result in favorable consequences for Georgia.

2) Rights Group Calls Level of Abuses in Turkey Still ‘Unacceptable’

ANKARA (AFP)–Human rights violations decreased in Turkey in 2004 but are
still
at an “unacceptable level” compared to European Union norms, Turkey’s main
human rights group said Friday.
“We can speak of a general improvement when we compare the 2004 human rights
record to that of 2003,” Yusuf Alatas, the head of the Human Rights
Association
(IHD) told a news conference unveiling the group’s annual human rights
report.
“But if we assess the figures without comparing them to previous years, the
situation is not encouraging at all,” he said. “Human rights violations are
still at an unacceptable level and far from EU standards.”
A summary of the IHD report shows the group received 843 complaints of
torture
and mistreatment in 2004, compared to 1,202 in 2003.
Alatas said the figure showed that Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s
government had failed to live up to its “zero tolerance” promise as far as
torture is concerned.
The report said nine publications were seized or banned in 2004, compared to
285 the previous year.
The number of non-governmental organizations closed down by authorities
dropped from 47 to 13 during the same period.
Prosecutors filed various charges against 467 people for only expressing
their
views, down from 1,706 people in 2003.
The report, however, said the number of people killed in armed confrontations
increased from 104 to 240.
The figure appeared to reflect a rise in clashes between security forces and
Kurdish rebels in the country’s mainly Kurdish southeast since last June, when
the rebels ended a five-year unilateral ceasefire with Ankara.
In a landmark decision last December, the EU gave Turkey the green light for
accession talks scheduled to begin on October 3, but the country is still
under
pressure to prove its full commitment to democracy and human rights.

3) Russia and Georgia to Hold Talks over Bases by End of Month

MOSCOW (AFP)–Georgia said Friday that it was close to resolving the thorny
issue of Russian military bases on its territory with Moscow.
“The issue is practically resolved,” Georgy Khaindrava, Georgia’s minister
for
conflict resolution, said on a visit to Moscow.
“We are working on the details and hope that a solution will be found before
the end of May,” he said in an interview with Moscow Echo radio.
The Georgian official said that the three-year time limit that Moscow has
requested to withdraw its two basesone in the mostly Armenian populated
reagion
of Javakhk–which Georgia inherited from Soviet times, was “reasonable.”
The two nations have agreed to hold talks on the issue, which has strained
relations between Moscow and Tbilisi for years, before the end of March.
Russia’s two bases remaining on Georgian territory are in the Akhalkalak
region in the south and Batumi in the west.
“The bases are an anachronism… that dates to the Soviet times and were
meant
to protect the (Soviet) south,” Khaindrava said Friday. “Today NATO and Turkey
are not longer Russian enemies, so there is no longer an argument for their
existence.”
Last week, the Georgian parliament passed a resolution that gave Russia until
January 1 to close the facilities, but Russia is insisting it will need at
least three years to withdraw its equipment and troops.
In a joint statement signed by Russia and Georgia during a 1999 summit of
member countries of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe
(OSCE) in Istanbul, Moscow agreed to close two of four military bases in
Georgia and to present a timetable for closure of the remaining two.

4) ANC Leads Effort to Address Problems at Grant High School

NORTH HOLLYWOOD, CA–The Armenian National Committees (ANC) of East and West
San Fernando Valley mobilized on March 8, after a fight broke out between
several hundred Armenian and Latino students at Grant High School, requiring
police intervention. The incident resulted in the arrest of four and expulsion
of eight students, and has garnered significant attention on television news,
talk radio, and print media. The ANC met the following day with the Committee
on Armenian Students in Public Schools (CASPS) and Grant High School officials
to immediately quell the alarming situation.
Within two days after the incident, the ANC co-sponsored a meeting with
parents and Grant High School officials, attracting over 300 participants.
During the entire week after the incident, members of the ANC were on campus
collaborating with parents of Armenian students and school administrators to
analyze the causes leading to the incident, and how to prevent such incidences
from occurring in the future.
“The fights that broke out at Grant High School between Latino and Armenian
students are of serious concern to all communities including the Armenian
American community,” stated Manug Haladjian, Chairman of the East San Fernando
Valley ANC. “This has been an issue at Grant High School in prior years, and
this latest incident is evidence that this issue must be taken more seriously
by all concerned parties,” continued Haladjian.
The ANC and CASPS (The Committee for Armenian Students in Public Schools),
recently organized several meetings on the issue with experts in the field
from
various schools in the area. In addition to meeting with these specialists,
parents, students, and school officials, on March 17, the ANC and CASPS also
met with representatives from the City and County of Los Angeles Human
Resources Commission, and the offices of State Senator Richard Alarcon,
Assemblywoman Cindy Montanez, and Los Angeles Councilwoman Wendy Gruel to
arrange a meeting between Armenian and Latino leaders in the area.
“Excellent education can only be achieved through a safe, healthy, and
positive school environment that fosters respect and understanding for all
cultures,” said Ara Papazian, who chairs the West San Fernando Valley ANC. “We
strongly encourage school officials to view this issue with an eye toward
system-wide, long-term solutions that raise the level of cultural
understanding
among school administrators, teachers, students, and parents.”
Beginning in 2004, the ANC recognized the need to address the issues facing
the increasing number of Armenian students in the public schools. The ANC
began
implementing a course of action which sought to raise awareness of the
challenges facing the Armenian students and look for ways to improve their
educational environment. Over the past six months, the ANC has organized
meetings with Los Angeles Unified School District Officials, including School
Board Member Jon Lauritzen, Grant High School Principal Sandra Cruz, and
various other LAUSD administrators and teachers.
In an effort to improve their understanding of the cultural differences of
Armenian students, 20 educators from Grant High School, including Prinipal
Cruz, will be participating in the March 30 Armenian Cultural Conference in
Pasadena. Now in its tenth year, the Armenian Cultural Conference, which is
sponsored by the school districts of Burbank, Glendale, EIEP of Los Angeles,
Pasadena, and Montebello, aims to raise awareness and understanding of the
Armenian culture among public school teachers and administrators, so that they
may deliver more effective and culturally sensitive education to students of
Armenian descent.
The ANC, along with CASPS and Grant High School, will co-host a meeting on
March 31 with parents of Armenian students at Grant High School to discuss
concerns and start looking for long-term solutions and programs to address the
various issues with Armenian youth in public schools. In addition, a meeting
will be organized for students, in April, to allow them to air their concerns.
On May 4, the ANC, CASPS, and Grant High School will host a town hall meeting
for the entire community on this issue.
“We stand ready to work with school officials, parents, students and other
community groups in the spirit of partnership, implementing programs that will
address these issues and their root causes,” affirmed ANC leaders in a joint
statement released last week.

5) ANCG Hosts an Afternoon with Endorsed Candidates

GLENDALE–Eager voters and concerned citizens gathered at St. Mary’s Apostolic
Church on Sunday, March 13, to meet the ANCG endorsed candidates. The event,
hosted by the Armenian National Committee of Glendale, offered community
members and candidates for city office a chance to speak one and one and
exchange ideas.
Unlike the numerous candidate forums that have been held, this event offered
ArmenianAmericans an opportunity to ask candidates more specific and personal
questions. Non-English speaking citizens were grateful for the opportunity to
ask questions of non-Armenian speaking candidates with the assistance of a
translator. Furthermore, the format of the event allowed candidates to spend
time with individual voters. Rather than responding to questions in 30
seconds,
candidates could spend as much time as needed to answer questions or listen to
voter’s concerns.
“The candidate forum was an exciting opportunity to have supporters and
community members ask questions about our platform, ideas and show their
support for my candidacy,” commented Ardashes “Ardy” Kassakhian, candidate for
City Clerk.
“The rally really fed into the energy and momentum of our campaign and the
Glendale ANC is doing a tremendous job in raising awareness about this
upcoming
election.”
Anahid “Anna” Oshagan, candidate for City Council added, “These are great
opportunities for voters to meet candidates and get to know them on a personal
level.
As a candidate, it’s great to be able to spend time with the voters and listen
to their concerns. After all, these elections are about the voters not the
candidates, and only by knowing and understanding the communities needs can we
candidates become strong leaders.”
Other candidates present included: City Council candidates Ara Najarian
(current
Glendale College Trustee), Larry Miller and Mayor Bob Yousefian; School Board
Candidates Greg Krikorian (current school board President) and Chuck Sambar
(current school board member), and Nayiri Nahabedian; College Board candidates
Dr. Armine Hacopian (current trustee) and Victor King (current trustee).
For more information regarding the candidates or ways to get involved, please
contact the Armenian National Committee of Glendale at (818) 243-3444 or
[email protected].

6) Celebrated Comedian Vahe Berberian to Perform for Anahid Oshagan Campaign

GLENDALE–Celebrated artist and comedian Vahe Berberian has stepped up to help
Anahid Oshagan’s Glendale City Council campaign with a benefit performance of
his highly acclaimed first monologue, “Yevaylen” but with a twist. He will be
performing “Yevaylen, Revisited” at Anoush Restaurant on March 22.
A hysterical and smart monologue, “Yevaylen, Revisited” tackles topics as
diverse as family, growing up in Beirut, and observations on the Armenian
identity concentrating mostly on the Armenian archetype. Performed in
Armenian,
Yevaylen was presented in Pasadena to standing room only crowds for many
months
and toured around various cities in the US and Canada. “Yevaylen,
Revisited” is
based on the same monologue with added twists and turns and brand new
material.
“I think it’s imperative for us as a community to get involved in local
politics. It’s very exciting to see all these young Armenians running for
office, and what is even more exciting is the fact that they are intelligent,
educated people with progressive agendas,” says Berberian, “I love Anahid.
She’s a smart, warm, compassionate human being and I have no doubt that she
will play a very positive role within city politics.”
In a string of fundraising events with an artistic focus, many local artists
have donated their time and talent to aid Anahid Oshagan in her bid for a
council seat. In early March, “Art for Oshagan” a silent art auction at
Harvest
Gallery involved twenty artists and was a huge success. Actress Lory Tatoulian
is slated to perform one of her stage sketches at another fundraising event in
March.
Oshagan is running on a platform to bring our community together and improve
the quality of life for all of Glendale. She will protect our environment,
reduce the impact of traffic, build more mini-parks, support our police and
fire departments, and support the development of arts and culture in our city.
“There are many important issues in Glendale and one of them is arts and
culture–this is one of my priorities in this race,” said Oshagan. “Art is a
universal language and it is a force that can unite many parts of Glendale’s
diverse mosaic of communities.”
Anahid Oshagan’s candidacy for the City Council has a vision to bring harmony
and mutual understanding to the diverse communities of Glendale. Stemming from
her political experience and her dedication to the community, Anahid will
bring
a fresh new perspective and will become a unifying force for all of Glendale.
Recognizing this fact, Congressman Adam Schiff (D-29) has endorsed Anahid’s
bid for the City Council as has Raffi Manoukian of the Glendale City Council,
the Glendale ANC, the San Fernando Valley Young Democrats and the California
School Employees Association. The community has also supported her bid in a
big
way: in January-February time period, her campaign was third in fundraising in
a field of 19 candidates.
Anahid’s background is ideally suited for the city council. Coming from a
family that instilled in her the values of hard work and helping her
community,
Anahid has developed a solid history of community involvement and service.
As a
student leader at CSUN, Anahid was instrumental in aiding the 1988 Armenian
earthquake relief effort and raising awareness of Armenia’s bid for
independence. After graduation, she worked to aid victims of domestic violence
and mentored juvenile inmates. She has taught English as a Second Language to
immigrants and spearheaded fundraising efforts for a program to immunize
children in Armenia and Karabagh.
For the past three years, Anahid was Congressman Adam Schiff’s District
Representative working as the liaison to the City of Glendale and the
Armenian-American communities throughout the 29th Congressional district.
Anahid now works as a non-profit attorney. If elected, she will be the first
Armenian-American woman to serve on the Glendale City Council.
“Yevaylen, Revisited,” will take place Tuesday, March 22 at Anoush restaurant
in Glendale at 401 W. Colorado St. Doors open at 7 p.m. and the performance
begins at 8 p.m. Suggested donation is $25. Mezze will be served. For
reservations contact Christina at (818) 317-1710 or email [email protected].
Visit for info about Vahe.
Donations to the Oshagan campaign may be made to “Friends of Anahid Oshagan”
and sent to Friends of Anahid Oshagan, P.O. Box 4820, Glendale, CA 91222-0820.
Political contributions are not tax-deductible. Please see
<; for more information on
Oshagan’s candidacy as well as this and other events.

7) AYF Camp: Building for Our Future

By Aram Madenlian

Several generations of campers and counselors have learned vital facts about
Armenian history and culture, shared in games and crafts, all while making
lifelong friends at AYF Camp–now in existence for over two and a half
decades.
It is difficult to explain how a group of people that hardly know one another
at the beginning of a week can come together–sleep, eat, and play–to become
like family after only seven days.
There are a myriad of reasons why we return to Camp each year–whether it is
the pride you feel when you see an eight-year-old tearfully and passionately
talking about his great grandparents and the importance of genocide
recognition
or watching a group of campers sing “Verkerov Lee” in unison. As we have all
grown older, it is these memories that encourage us to volunteer our time in
maintaining and improving camp for future generations.
No matter what your age, you always feel a sense of connection to camp. As a
camper, you would eagerly wait all summer long for those one or two weeks that
you and your friends had talked about all year long. All of those detailed
discussions about what color group (Red, Blue, or Orange) you wanted to be in
or what counselor you hoped you had–or in some cases for the ones who were a
little strict you hoped you wouldn’t have–were of utmost importance.
As 17-year-olds, many of us suffered from AYF Camp withdrawal. The camper age
range is 8-16; however, you must be at least 18 years of age to be a
counselor.
That leaves a one-year gap away from AYF Camp, and for many it is a year too
long.
Most counselors are college students, who work part time, but choose to
volunteer their time to the camp for a number of reasons. Most counselors feel
a deep sense of loyalty and responsibility not only to AYF Camp, but most
importantly, to the campers. Passing on what they have learned at Camp and
continuing the traditions is an integral part of that process. They want to be
remembered as “great counselors” and positive role models for their campers.
Ultimately, many counselors aspire to be director one day.
It is, once again, that sense of connection that draws the director back.
Usually settled with family and career, a director takes a week of his or her
vacation time and decides to spend it at camp. While the safety of campers is
of paramount importance, the director also has to ensure that the campers are
having fun while also learning about the Armenian Cause. A good director will
know how to ignite that “spirit” inside the campers and counselors.
Unfortunately, “spirit” alone is not enough to sustain our camp structurally,
as AYF Camp is in dire need of renovation. In recent years, the Management
Board has made it a priority to upgrade the facilities and as a result, a
master plan was implemented for the renovation of AYF Camp. Improvements were
prioritized according to importance and necessity. It was immediately assessed
that the roofs on all of the cabins would not withstand another harsh winter;
the Board, subsequently, planned to replace the roofs on all of the cabins.

Beginning in May 2003, the Board organized the first of a series of camp
improvement weekends. The Board members, along with a core group of
volunteers,
undertook the implementation of this project. These twelve volunteers removed
two to three layers of asphalt shingle roofing, cut and installed new plywood
panels, and installed a new 40-year asphalt shingle roof on cabins 4,5,6,7,
and
10.
In June 2003, a new walk-in freezer, along with a new motor, was installed in
the kitchen. The installation was completed by a volunteer who donated his
time, tools, and a portion of the materials at no cost to the camp.
In July 2003, three new commercial grade hot water heaters were installed in
all of the camper bathrooms. The volunteer provided the three 1,000 gallon
water heaters at his cost, as well as his time, tools, and a portion of the
materials. Also in July 2003, the ARF Shant chapter organized a work weekend,
where members assembled and installed 33 new bunk beds, installed curtains in
all of the cabins, and painted the interiors of cabins 1, 2, 3, 4, and 8.
In October 2003, the Board members and a group of volunteers removed and
replaced the roofs of cabins 8 and 9. In addition, cabin 8 was essentially
rebuilt from the ground up, starting from the framing, to the installation of
new windows, doors, siding, and a new electrical panel. A member of the
Management Board donated the majority of the materials for cabin 8.
In March of 2004, the same group of volunteers removed and replaced the roofs
of cabins 2 and 3.
In May and June 2004, a contractor was hired to completely renovate the Boy’s
bathroom downstairs. The framing was replaced one stud at a time. New
sheathing, weatherproofing, exterior plywood, and siding were installed. The
old plumbing and electrical were also replaced. In addition, new shower
fixtures, toilets, urinals, sinks, windows, and doors were installed all
accented with a natural slate stone tile.
In June 2004, a small group of volunteers installed the interior drywall and
painted the exterior of cabin 8.
In October 2004, volunteers removed and replaced the roofs of cabin 1 and the
roof of the boy’s bathroom.
All these improvements were necessary for Camp to continue its daily
operations. They are, however, just the beginning. The AYF Camp Management
Board has made this revitalization effort its top priority and is counting on
you for your support.
In December 2004, Dr. Garo Chalian pledged to sponsor the renovation of the
infirmary ($25,000) in memory of his father. Actions have always spoken louder
than words for the Chalian Family as a whole. Whether as campers, counselors,
directors, or board members, the Chalian Family has always been involved in
the
Camp. Their role as activists within our community has truly benefited us all.
We are confident Dr. Chalian’s generosity will be contagious amongst our
community members and that it will start the 2005 year with the momentum
needed
to see our revitalization project through to its fruition. The improvements on
the infirmary are scheduled to start in May 2005.
The following is a complete list of future improvements for which the
board is
seeking sponsorship:

*Renovation of the Girl’s Bathrooms–$25,000

*Renovation of the Infirmary–(Sponsorship Secured – Dr. Garo Chalian)

*Renovation of the Camp Fire Pit–(Sponsorship Secured Garo Madenlian Fund)

*Renovation of the Pool and Pool Bathrooms–$75,000

*Renovation of the Kitchen–$50,000

*Renovation of Cabins 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10–$12,000 Each

*Renovation of the Staff Cabin–$15,000

*Renovation of the Lodge–$100,000

*Renovation of the Arts and Crafts–$30,000

*Construction of a New Cabin–$15,000

*Renovation of the Caretaker Cabin–$15,000

If you choose to become a sponsor, your name will be listed on the structure
you have chosen and will remain there for as long as the Camp is in operation.
Donations are not limited to sponsorships–any and all donations are welcomed
and appreciated. For more information regarding sponsorship and donations,
please contact Aram Madenlian at (714) 719-4608.

8) Electoral Idiots

By Garen Yegparian

It’s all I can do to not use names in this piece–all in the interest of
protecting the pride of the guilty.
In a place called Glendale, a very heated contest is raging for the office of
City Clerk. Who’d have thought that was possible? Well, it’s true and we, as
Armenians, are overly well represented– accounting for four of the nine
candidates. Two have earned the title above.
Just this week we’ve learned that one hasn’t voted in the last six years.
That’s nine elections! Remember, the City Clerk is the ELECTIONS officer of
the
city in question. What nerve! What astonishing obliviousness to political
reality! What gall expecting our community’s support when the candidate
doesn’t
even consider it important enough to vote!
The other candidate has seen fit to misuse the city seal for electoral
purposes and been outed by another of the nine and the local newspaper.
Remember, the City Clerk is the keeper of documents and records for the city.
In this case, the candidate is also a long-time city employee and should have
known better. What nerve! What astonishing obliviousness to political reality!
What gall expecting our community’s support when the candidate doesn’t even
respect the city they propose to represent!
But they’re not alone, in another race where our community is well
represented, two school board candidates chose to boycott (I can’t think of a
better characterization) a forum organized a few weeks ago by the Western
Diocese, and reported in this column. Why? Who knows. They were there, but not
on stage. This was a panel that, if you’ll remember, odars were dying to
appear
on. What nerve! What astonishing obliviousness to political reality! What gall
expecting our community’s support when they don’t even see fit to respect our
institutions and the programs they organize!
Nor is Glendale alone in its submissions for this grand title. In other local
elections, one candidate who seeks our community’s support is constantly
offending those who assist the campaign. There’s no appreciation for the
efforts on that candidate’s behalf. On the contrary, only denigration of such
support issues from the candidate’s mouth, both publicly and privately. Add to
this the offense given to broader, non-Armenian circles as well, and it’s time
yet again to exclaim: What nerve! What astonishing obliviousness to political
reality! What gall expecting our community’s support when they don’t even see
fit to respect community activists who support the campaign!
And our final contender is someone who might actually have promise in the
future, given the energy and enthusiasm exhibited in running for office.
Tragicomically though, this candidate ran against a well entrenched incumbent
and garnered a ‘whopping’ one-sixteenth of the votes. Why attempt political
suicide but doing things like this? Build yourself up among the constituencies
you’ll be serving, then go for it!
Here’s my plea to all those with electoral ambitions. Once this round of
elections is over, all those who are considering running next time should sit
together with representatives of Armenian political organizations to hash out
who has the best chance of winning in what seats. Then, let’s get behind those
people and support their campaigns. We’ll all do better, both individually and
as a community.

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FBI agent appreciates Armenia’s cooperation in arms smuggling probe

FBI agent appreciates Armenia’s cooperation in arms smuggling probe

Mediamax news agency
21 Mar 05

Yerevan, 21 March: “The Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI)
appreciates the professionalism and active cooperation of the Armenian
authorities,” the US embassy in Armenia has quoted FBI agent Bryan
Paarmann, who has been in Armenia since 18 March, as saying.

Bryan Paarmann, jointly with the Armenian law-enforcement bodies,
is investigating the illegal weapons smuggling into the USA.

One of those arrested on this case is Armenian citizen Artur
Solomonyan.

The US embassy said further that “the investigation has not found
any evidence that arms were taken outside Armenia and transported to
the USA”.

“The Armenian authorities are actively cooperating and have already
made several arrests to make sure that arms are not taken outside
Armenia illegally,” the embassy told Mediamax.

Turkish marasmus

Turkish marasmus

Yerkir/arm
18 March 05

Last week the Turkish media were filled with extremely hostile
publications on Armenian-Turkish relations. Huriyet referred to a
publication in Washington Post where crimes against humanity committed
in the XX century were mentoined.

Among other states Turkey was mentioned in that artcile for having
committed the Armenian Genocide in 1915-1918 during which 1,5 milion
Armenian were killed.

The Washington Post article was based on sources provided by the
American Museum of Holocaust which had annoyed the Turks to a larger
extent because in this way they had deservedly been placed on one
level with Nazi Germany. CNN-Turk channel referred to the same article
noting that the American Armenian Diaspora was standing behind the
publication.

The Turkish Milliyet newspaper also published a similar artcile in
which the list of other genocides cited in the American article was
presented. Following the Armenian Genocide, the 1923-33 famine in
Ukraine that took lives of 7 million people, the Japanese massacres
of 300 000 Chinese people in 1937, the Jewish Holocaust of 1938-1945,
the massacres of Pol Pot regime in 1975-79, Bosnia and Rwanda were
mentioned. The Turkish NTV channel noted that the Armenian lobbying
groups in America are doing their best to achieve recognition of the
Armenian Genocide this year.

Turkiye newspaper also touched upon the article in Washington Post
noting that the newspaper is one of the most influential media in the
world. Turkiye newspaper stated that the insistence on the Armenian
Genocide is â”a political lieâ”.

The newspaper reiterated the official Turkish position adding that no
Turkish government had ever pursued discriminatory policies against
any national or religious groups, including the Armenians.

According to the Turkiye newspaper, even though 200 000 Armenians were
killed during deportations, this can by no means be compared to the
crimes committed by the West that has committed so many â”massacres
and acts of violenceâ” in the past 90 years that should be ashamed
of its acts.

One of Turkeyâ’s most recent expressions of hostility is the
hampering of the terms for plants and animals through exclusion of
Armenia and Kurdistan. As noted in Yeni Shafaq newspaper, scholars
from some Turkish universities have been engaged in these efforts.

We do not intend to analyze manifestations of Turkeyâ’s anti-Armenian
inferiority complex. Let us just remind the famous incident of the
late XIX century when Sultan Abdul Hamid banned usage of H2O formula
because he saw an obvious hint of personal insult in it. You should
consider seeing a doctor, gentlemen…

After all this Milleyet is still surprised at the suggestion of
France’s main parliamentary force and its leader Sarcosy to vote
against the EU Constitution and Turkey’s membership in the EU.

Another Turkish newspaper, Sabah, published an anti-French article
suggesting that France that is speaking about the Armenian Genocide,
should itself be ready to recognize the genocide committed on May
8-22, 1945 in Algeria. Sabah believes that the actions of the French
in Algeria caused the death of 10-45 thousand people according to
different estimates.

The Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanianâ’s answer to the
Turkish Prime Minister Erdoganâ’s appeal to solve the issue of the
Armenian Genocide through a dialog of historians has also caused a
wide response in the Turkish media. On the next day after Oskanian’s
statement the Turkish media such as Milleyet, NTV and others, were
merely citing his words referring to the Armenian sources.

However, several days later an anti-Armenian hysteria was launched in
the Turkish media. Zaman newspaper wrote that the Turkish scholars
are always ready to enter a dialog with their Armenian colleagues.
The Turkish scholars voiced their disappointment that this dialog
had failed obviously referring to the planned Vienna Armenian-Turkish
Platform.

Turkish Daily News published an article by ex-member of the
Turkish-Armenain Reconciliation Committee, former diplomat Gundus Aqtan
that analyzes the possibilities for the recognition of the Armenian
Genocide in Germany. Aqtan believes Germanyâ’s current leadershipâ’s
support for Turkeyâ’s EU membership is favorable for the Turks.

At the same time he points out that the anti-Turkish moods in Germany
tend to intensify. Analyzing the position of the German opposition
Christian-Democrats Aqtan notes that it aims at presenting the events
of the World War I from the point of view of confrontation of Muslims
and Christians. Aqtan thus notes that it is neccassry to analyze the
facts presented in the German Christian-Democrats’ formula from a more
”scientific” point of view.

It should be reminded that Aqtan had made numerous anti-Armenain
statements when he was a member of the Turkish-Armeanin Reconciliation
Committee. He left the Committee when the American Center for
Transition Justice concluded that the term ‘Genocide’ is applicable
to the tragic events of 1915.

–Boundary_(ID_uCwUfG/rOra0PODsdgRc2g)–

BAKU: Turkey to present to UN historical documents related toso-call

Azer Tag, Azerbaijan
March 21 2005

TURKEY TO PRESENT TO UNITED NATIONS HISTORICAL DOCUMENTS RELATED TO
SO-CALLED QUESTION OF “ARMENIAN GENOCIDE”
[March 21, 2005, 19:12:03]

Chairman of the Turkic History Vagf, professor Yusuf Halacoglu,
in his interview to the “Milliyyet” newspaper said they would send
the historical documents on the events happened in 1915-1919 in the
Ottoman state to the United Nations. At his words, all the documents
are based on the facts and figures related to number of the Armenians
and Turks involved in the armed conflicts.

The documents include archives of the Ottoman state, as well as
England, France, Germany and the United States. The Archives prove
that in 1915, in the Ottoman State only 100 thousands Armenian have
died as a result of the armed conflicts, diseases and other reasons.
Along with that, in 1915-1919, in the territory of Ottoman, 519
thousands of Turk were killed. In 1921, out of the exiled Armenians,
644 thousand 900 Armenian have returned to Turkey. The rest have
moved to Syria, France, USA, Greece, Russia, Iran and other countries.

Te policy of exile was not applied towards all the Armenians, professor
Yusuf Halacoglu said. Many Armenians held high positions in the
government, served in the army and engaged in trade at that time.
In this case, it is impossible any “genocide”. On the contrary,
if there was “genocide”, it was committed by the Armenians against
the Turks.

ANKARA: Gul: Genocide allegations have nothing to do with Turkey’s E

Turkish Press
March 21 2005

Press Review

Turkiye:

GUL: “GENOCIDE ALLEGATIONS HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH TURKEY’S EU MEMBERSHIP”

Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said yesterday that there was no
direct or indirect linkage between the Armenian so-called genocide
allegations and Turkey’s European Union membership bid. Speaking
in Parliament, Gul said that Ankara had fulfilled the Copenhagen
criteria as confirmed by both last October’s EU Commission report
and December’s EU summit. Stressing that a History Research Group had
been formed to investigate the allegations, Gul said that in the near
future their findings on the issue would be released for the benefit
of Turkey and the international community. /Turkiye/

Russian, Armenian leaders vow to further ties for full cooperation

Xinhua, China
March 21 2005

Russian, Armenian leaders vow to further ties for full cooperation

2005-03-21 23:13:47

MOSCOW, March 21 (Xinhuanet) — Russian President Vladimir Putin
and his Armenian counterpart, Robert Kocharyan, on Monday vowed to
further ties for full cooperation between the two former Soviet
republics.

On the opening day of “the Year of Russia in Armenia,” Putin
hailed the Russo-Armenian friendship as “reliable and strategic.”

“Russia invariably attaches great importance to strengthening
friendly contacts with Armenia — its reliable and strategic
partner,” the Itar-Tass news agency quoted Putin as saying in a
message.

The Russian leader expressed confidence that “the Year of Russia
in Armenia” will promote rapprochement, friendship and direct
dialogue between the two nations.

He also underlined the 60th anniversary of the victory of
WorldWar II as an important opportunity for bettering ties.

Both countries will pay “tribute to heroism of all those who were
shoulder-to-shoulder fighting against fascism,” said Putin.

The Armenian president said in his message that the “Year of
Russia” opened opportunities in the Caucasian country for full
cooperation in political, economic and cultural fields between
thefraternal peoples.

“I am confident that ‘the Year of Russia in Armenia’ will help
enrich the agenda of the Russo-Armenian cooperation with new ideasand
projects,” Kocharyan noted, adding that the event “is of symbolic
significance” as it coincides with celebrations of the 60th
anniversary of victory over fascism.

Russia maintains close relations with Armenia after the Soviet
Union dissolved in 1991. Armenia is one of the Collective
SecurityTreaty grouping several other ex-Soviet republics such as
Kazakhstan Tajikistan and Belarus. Enditem

www.chinaview.cn

OSCE mission confirmed the absurdity of accusation

OSCE MISSION CONFIRMED THE ABSURDITY OF ACCUSATION

PanArmenian News
March 21 2005

International experts have verified the fact that Armenians do not
have any plans to populate the territories under control.

The monitoring group that has visited the regions controlled
by Nagorno-Karabakh army has officially reported the results of
observations to the OSCE permanent council. The mission has come
up with certain conclusions concerning the assertions of Azeri
representatives about the population of those regions. The conclusion
is better characterized by the following quotation from the report.
“There are no obvious signs of organized mass settlement, involuntary
movement of people…” Thus it has been proved that the accusations
of official Baku are absolutely groundless.

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Here are some extracts from the report that again
confirm that the statements of Azerbaijan are groundless. “Population
is very limited” “The mission has not established that the population
is a result of Armenian policy” “The mission has not noticed any
evidence of indirect involvement of Armenian authorities…”

At the same time, the observers have established the fact that the
overwhelming majority of inhabitants have come from different parts of
Azerbaijan, particularly Getashen, Sumgait, Baku and Shahumyan region
which is currently controlled by Azerbaijan. They have mentioned
that the majority of interviewed people wished to return to their
native regions.

The only region where the mission members really mentioned certain
traces of more or less organized migration policy was Lachin. However
the observers explain that mentioning the special status of that region
which connects Karabakh to Armenia. “In previous negotiations Lachin
was viewed as a separate question since it is a humanitarian corridor
assuring security of Nagorno-Karabakh.”, mission members mention. The
mission has already established that in the other regions of security
zone (except Lachin) there are around 4000 people. Commenting on
the number of people the observers compare that with the number of
Armenians banished from Azerbaijan. “The number of inhabitants is
insignificant taking into account the fact that the number of Armenian
refugees is 400000”, it is mentioned in the report.

It is worth reminding that different official and non-official
representatives of Azerbaijan state that the regions controlled
by Nagorno-Karabakh forces are populated with 30-300 thousand of
Armenians. The deputy Foreign Minister, personal representative of
Ilham Aliev in the negotiations on Karabakh Araz Azimov has given the
precise number ~V 36 thousand. In reality there were 9 times as less
Armenians. But the main thing that is established by the monitoring is
the fact that Armenians do not have any intention to create conditions
for the annexation of those regions. The control over those regions
is necessary only for security purposes. Otherwise, Yerevan and
Stepanakert would really carry out a policy for populating the regions.

Official Yerevan is pleased with the report. This can be proved by
the recent announcement of Armenian foreign ministry. The foreign
ministry of Nagorno-Karabakh does not hurry to make estimations, but
in Stepanakert the report is considered an objective one. Though the
authorities of Azerbaijan have not expressed their attitude towards
the document, it is quite obvious that Baku is not satisfied with the
conclusions of observers. The deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of
Azerbaijan Araz Azimov stated that he does not accept the separation
of Armenian and Karabakh authorities. He criticized the statement of
OSCE Secretary General who commenting on the report said that the
questions connected with the population should be addressed to the
authorities of NKR and not Armenia. According to Azimov that statement
was made by the order of co-chairmen.

The report is submitted. What will happen after it is made public? In
Azerbaijan there may be a burst of provocations against OSCE, accusing
them of biased approach and incapability to achieve settlement of
Karabakh conflict. It should be reminded that yet before the start of
the mission Azeri radicals assured that they were getting ready for
protest actions. Thus, it is obvious that the conclusions of experts
are not a surprise for them. Araz Azimov mentioned several times
that if the report is not convenient for Azeri authorities, they will
give up their promise not to arise the question on the situation in
lower Karabakh in UN. However in the current situation the attempts of
official Baku to return to the consideration of the problem in UN are
absolutely hopeless. Their attempts to raise the question of delegating
a new mission to security zone also have no future. However, the demand
to form a similar mission for the monitoring of the situation in the
regions of NKR occupied by Azerbaijan looks quite logical. Yerevan
has already applied to OSCE permanent council with the initiative
to delegate a group of experts to the captured regions of Shahumyan
and Getashen, as well as former Armenian villages to the north
of Martakert and to the east of Martouni. Let us wait and see the
reaction of Azerbaijan to this proposal.

Artyom Yerkanyan

ChaldoAssyrians need Congress Too

ChristianIraq.com, IL
March 21 2005

ChaldoAssyrians need Congress Too
Filed under: Christians Editorials- Gordon Lake @ 8:09 am

Observation by Gordon Lake

When Congress rushed back into session and the President flew back
to Washington for the sole purpose of keeping one person alive I was
impressed. And when they assured the media that this was not about
politics and this was not because Terri Schiavo was in the headlines,
the American inside of me wanted to believe.

I thought, if Congress cared this much about one life, then surely
they would care about millions of lives at risk in the minority and
Christian communities in Iraq.

Iraq’s ChaldoAssyrian Christians, Turkmen, Yazidi, Shabak and Armenians
are not headline names like Shiite, Sunni or Kurds, but as Congress
has pointed out, it’s not about headlines, it’s about life. And the
lives of Iraq’s minority communities are at risk.

Those communities are seeking a safe haven in Iraq where they can
determine the future of their children and stem the ethnic cleansing
that has already begun, causing ten of thousands to flee Iraq since
the fall of Saddam Hussein.

I want to believe that Congress cares as much about the lives of
millions on the back pages as it cares about the life of the one on
the front page.

I want to believe that this is not about adding an extra line to a
re-election campaign commercial, or using Terri Schiavo as a talking
point in a political debate. I hope this is not about turning this
woman’s situation and her family’s agony into a campaign button or
bumper sticker.

If this is real, if Congress and the White House really does have a
heart for human life even if it’s not in the headlines, then there is
a possibility that Congress will take a look at the struggles of Iraq’s
ChaldoAssyrian Christians, Turkmen, Yazidi, Shabak and Armenians.

If this is not real, it means we have all lived to see the day when
Congress and White House no longer governs this nation, the media does.

ANKARA: Bagis: There are some circles which claim that there is anan

Turkish Press
March 21 2005

Bagis: There are some circles which claim that there is an
anti-American sentiment in Turkey
Published: 3/21/2005
Anadolu Agency

BURSA – Egemen Bagis, chairman of Turkey-U.S. Parliamentary
Friendship Group and a deputy from Justice and Development Party
(AKP), stated that there are some circles which claim that there is
an anti-American sentiment in Turkey.

“Once the U.S. attitude towards the terrorist PKK organization
changes, such a sentiment will reach a new dimension,“ said Bagis.

Bagis attended a luncheon meeting of the Turkish Young Businessmen`s
Association (TUGIAD) Branch in Bursa.

“Turkey and the United States have a past of 200 years. 60 years out
of the total has been spent as strategic partners. The two allies
have cooperated in Kosovo, Afghanistan, Somalia and the Middle
East,“ remarked Bagis.

“Turkey and the United States share the same notions on the
protection of the territorial integrity of Iraq. However, Turkey has
not received the right response to the situation in north of Iraq. In
the past, United States was the country that recognized the PKK as a
terrorist organization. The U.S. decision came at a time when no
European country regarded the PKK as a terrorist group,“ stressed
Bagis.

According to Bagis, the freedom of the PKK terrorists in north of
Iraq hurts the Turks each and every day. “Furthermore, the changes
in demographic structure is a matter of concern. In the past few
weeks, tri-partite meetings between Turkey, United States and Iraq
began, which surely is a matter of positive development.“

Reminded by a journalist about the recent comments made by American
correspondents against Turkey, Bagis expressed that this situation is
identical to a chain-accident. “Action…reaction. Turkish media
says one thing and the U.S. media writes in return. My personal
opinion is that once the U.S. administration reacts to the PKK
presence in north of Iraq, we will cool-off tension between Turkey
and the United States. Countries like Iran and Syria were formerly
accused by the Turkish government for providing shelter to PKK
terrorists. Today, such neighbors are cooperating with Turkey and are
returning PKK terrorists captured in their respective countries.“

Bagis added that a change in the U.S. administration`s stance on the
situation in north of Iraq will break the anti-American sentiment in
Turkey. “Turkish-American ties are so historical and comprehensive
that it would be unfair to base our relations on a single issue of
PKK or Iraq. I believe that our media takes issues more seriously
than its counterparts in the States. There are virtually hundreds of
newspapers and editors in America. One of the American journalists
writes, after encouragement by certain circles, and tries to
establish the agenda for that day. Such articles get coverage on the
first page of certain Turkish newspapers. We must not take these
reports or editorials as too seriously.“

Istanbul deputy Bagis told that Turkey`s European Union (EU) dream
will put an end to all conspiracy theories. “You may think that it
is a joke but often we get two questions from foreign investors in
Turkey: Could a military coup take place again in Turkey? Could
Islamic Law enter Turkish politics? It is my firm opinion that the EU
will remove all these suspicions in Turkey. The EU is a development
that guarantees Turkey`s stability. For this reason, the EU is on top
of our agenda,“ noted Bagis.

Bagis further indicated that, prior to November 3rd, 2002, Turkey did
not have good relations with its neighbors. “In the past several
years, relations with Greece, Bulgaria, Romania, Georgia, Iran and
Iraq have improved. The ties with Armenia are not at the level where
they should be due to Armenian insistence on some borders.“

Bagis commented that Armenians once again have historical
allegations. “If the Armenians cool-off tensions between Turkey and
Armenia, they will surely receive a positive response. In 2004, we
have permitted flights of the Armenian national airlines to Istanbul
four times a week. We have given a hand of friendship to the
Armenians. According to data I have received, there are over 30,000
Armenian citizens working in Turkey. These Armenians are not Turkish
citizens but have come to Turkey for various reasons. About half of
these Armenians look after our children as baby sitters. This
incident itself shows that we have no hatred of any one but love for
all. We share common cultural values.“

Armenian defence minister, US envoy praise military ties

Armenian defence minister, US envoy praise military ties

Mediamax news agency
21 Mar 05

Yerevan, 21 March: “Armenia’s cooperation with the European command of
the US armed forces and NATO is confidently moving forward,” Armenian
Defence Minister Serzh Sarkisyan told US ambassador John Evans today.

The press secretary of the Armenian defence minister, Seyran
Shakhsuvaryan, told Mediamax that the sides discussed details of the
forthcoming visit of the deputy commander of US troops in Europe,
Gen Charles Wald, which is due in late March.