Greater Iran
Federated commonwealth of Iranian states
February 21, 2005
iranian.com
The purpose of this writing is not to present you with yet another flabby
history lesson about Persia, something which I trust you all to be sick to
death of. Yet the topic of the current article is something which I feel I
cannot ignore writing about, as it seems that nobody these days cares to
sputter about, save myself.

Febuary 21 marks the anniversary of one of Iran’s most darkest days in
memory. On this day in 1828, Haj Mirza Abol-hasan Khan and Asef o-dowleh,
chancellor of Fath-Ali Shah signed a stomach-churning treaty by which:
1. The current republics of Armenia and Nakhjavan joined Georgia,
Azerbaijan, and Daghestan as the newest Iranian lands to be annexed by
Russia forever.
2. Iran promised to pay Russia 5 million Tomans for money spent by Russia in
trying to conquer these lands.
3. Full rights for Russian ships to navigate all of the Caspian and her
coasts.
4. Capitulation rights for Russians in Iran.
In return, Russia promised to support Abbas Mirza to gain the seat of
monarchy after Fath-Ali Shah (which never happened).
Did it end there? Hell no. The Russians were using skulking vermiform
British help in doing the same to Iran in Herat and the rest of central
Asia. Persian Asia, I might add.
OK. Sad story. It was just to refresh your memories.
Now, when the British were kicked out of their own empire, they still
managed to maintain their presence in their “commonwealth” by various means.
They were in Hong Kong as late as 1997. Same goes for the French “La
Francophonie”.
I don’t see an Iranian presence in the “Iranian commonwealth”. Instead of
focusing on the commonwealth of Iranian states, we see a non-plebiscitary
system that demands genuflection in trying to define us as culturally Arab,
sticking its nose into places where it innately does not belong, such as the
Israeli-Arab conflict.
But it gets even worse. While Iran is sucking up to “Muslim brother nations”
like Malaysia for economic opportunities, Malaysia smarmily forbids the
official hiring of Iranian Muslims. And these are not even Arabs.
That said, it is imperative that every Iranian, from every creed and
ethnicity, at least keep the memory alive, before even the memory
disappears. The memory of Greater Iran.
What is “Greater Iran”?
I. Members of the Greater Iran, a federated commonwealth of Iranian states
Armenia
Separated from Iran by the Turkemanchay Treaty. Our government, as well as
foreign governments, try very hard to encourage Iranian minorities to leave
Iran. That’s sad. St Thaddeus is buried in Iran. So are Prophet Daniel and
Queen Esther. Iran was inherently pluralist to begin with.

Azerbaijan
Turkey is now stepping in to separate Azerbaijan from Iran by claiming
Azeris as Turks, and therefore part of “Greater Turkey”. The vainglorious
ciphers even claim the Safavis as “a Turkic dynasty that ruled Persia”.
Turkic as in non-Iranian. And what do we do instead to make our Azeri
citizens feel welcome in their own home? Make jokes about how dumb “Torks”
are. The definition of hemaaghat.

Afghanistan
The Dari language spoken by Afghanis is Farsi. And if we haven’t been
treating them as equals to ourselves, then shame on us. I have to keep
showing people “Baran” to remind them of this. I wonder what people would be
calling Ebne Sina of he were alive todayÖ. An “Afghani”? What about Molavi?
Would he be riding a Zamyad pickup with a shovel in hand?

Tajikestan
Perhaps one of the most important states of Greater Iran. These people
actually appreciate being a member of the Persian family. We should fully
embrace that. Ah, but Qods Day is more important.

Turkmenistan
Marv is where Yazdegerd finally lost to Omar. It was the capital of Greater
Khorasan. Nisa was the capital of the Parthians. No insignificant detail
there.

Uzbekistan
While western Iran and Fars were enduring the wave of Arabization, the
people of this region were preserving our language. Where were the Samanids
from? Where is Bokhara? Where is Samarqand? Where is Rudaki from?

Kyrqyzstan
Another state inhabited by Iranian tribes such as the Sogdians, whose
capital was the city of Afrasyab. Like the other “SSR” states, they lost
much of their identity during the russification policies of Moscow.

Daghestan
Next time someone ridicules you for this claim, show them the picture of the
best preserved Sassanian castle anywhere, in Darband.

II. States that should be within the Iranian sphere of influence

Iraq
That great vault has been begging for ages to hear Persian poetry recited
under her majestic shadow. And how many of you had a grandfather or great
ancestor that lived in Najaf or Karbala? Kamal-ol-molk loved it there as did
many others. And what about Mashallah and Nowbakht, the Iranian Jew and
Zoroastrian that first designed Baghdad based on Firouzabad? Like it or not,
Iraq is an Iranoid state by nature. Our presence is eternally felt there.

UAE
How many Iranians do we have there? What does a government like Russia do
when it has a minority of its citizens living somewhere, say, like in
Lithuania? Would it act less than aggressive to protect them? Besides,
business is good for everyone. And you see a lot of it in the UAE nowadays.

India
These people are proud of their Mughal heritage. It’s no coincidence we see
Persian poetry in India. No coincidence that The Taj Mahal was built by
Shirazi craftsmen. This should be a point for strengthening cultural bonds.
India has achieved much schtick as a nation that stood on her own feet and
evolved into a democracy. We have a lot to learn from them.

Turkey
If you don’t try to influence them, they will try to influence you. That’s
the rule. Otherwise next thing you know, Tabriz and Qazvin are on their maps
again.

III. States of key importance for Greater Iran

Israel
Like it or not, Israel is here to stay. Secondly, Israel is the only country
in the region that understands “Iranians are not Arabs”. They understood it
during our war against Iraq. They understand it when I go to my doctors, all
Jewish, and all top of their class. We need Israel for stability. And Israel
still sees us as the descendants of Cyrus the savior.
As ridiculous as it sounds, YOU CAN be a follower of Hossein, and be a
brother to a Jew. That is if you don’t think Jews are Najes to shake hands
with, and aren’t stuck in the mold defined by pan-Arabism, nowadays called
“Islam”. Even our hero Morgan Shuster was Jewish for crying out loud.

The US
Ever since Howard G. Baskerville became the first American to bravely die
for Iran’s struggle toward democracy, it has become clear that Iran cannot
trust any major power, if any at all, other than the United States. The US
was the only power who ever tried to help Persia, just for the sake of
helping her. Even today, where pro-war neocons reign supreme in Washington,
Iran would still be much better off having America as a friend than having
Europeans. I firmly believe in this.

Without the US, Iran can’t go far in anything it does. Not because Iran is
wimpy and powerless, but because America has so much to offer. Au contraire,
the US needs Iran too. Iran can be a most loyal friend for a well
intentioned United States. It would be very wise for both American and
Iranian statesmen to come to their senses and try coordinating efforts to
reach their numerous shared interests. Just think, when Arthur Millspaugh
and Arthur Pope were helping Iran, what were the Europeans doing? Why do we
have a tomb of Phyllis Ackerman in Isfahan?

Conclusion
Richard Frye once said: “Many times I have emphasized that the present
peoples of central Asia, whether Iranian or Turkic speaking, have one
culture, one religion, one set of social values and traditions with only
language separating them”.

Empires and kingdoms come and go, but the memory of a unified great state
not only continues to inspire folk bards and poets, but also to motivate
political action. It is our duty to defend the memory of Greater Iran from
her enemies, and try hard to preserve the cultural glue that solidifies the
peoples of this great land, whether Persian, Turkic, Afghani, Turkomen, or
whatever, in spite of religion and creed, even if Iran herself doesn’t.
Perhaps future generations will awaken to this reality unlike the current
one.

Burlington Union

Winchester woman brings Armenian treasures to area

By Christopher Rocchio/ Staff Writer
Thursday, February 24, 2005

Gail O’Reilly, a Winchester resident since 1979, has served the community in
a variety of ways over the years. She is a member, and former president, of
the Winchester League of Women Voters. She was also a Town Meeting member
from 1985 to 2003.

Her memberships, O’Reilly said, are an outlet for her sense of civic
duty and she has enjoyed the experiences and people. But while she was busy
serving the community, her father asked a question that impacted her life:
Why don’t you do something for your own people? he said to her.

O’Reilly took her father’s advice, and in 2000, began Made in Armenia
Direct, a business that brings authentic treasures made by Armenia’s most
skilled artisans to the U.S. She said the business idea originated when she
made her first trip to Armenia in 1991. There she took pleasure strolling
through a local park. On weekends, she said many Armenian artisans would
gather to peddle their goods, but appeared to be having a tough time
supporting themselves.

“It broke my heart,” said O’Reilly. “There were very few tourists, so I
was concerned the artisans would leave the country, which in turn would then
lose the skill.”

After another trip in 2000, she decided expose the artisans and their
goods to an American market. The operation began as a Web site. At the time,
she said, Armenians who had lived under communism their whole lives had no
idea about accountability and quality control. O’Reilly said the artisans
never thought of being entrepreneurs, and she was unsure what could be
delivered, in what quantity and how fast. Now she knows, and the system has
grown smoother.

“One of my goals is to be in as many retail stores in the U.S. as
possible,” she said.

Made in Armenia Direct currently works with about 50 artisans and three
cooperatives. Goods include handmade jewelry (pendants, earrings and
bracelets), leisure items (toys, games, dolls, musical instruments,
postcards and books), home decor items (wall hangings, paintings, decorative
plates, vases, candleholders and tableware), apparel and accessories
(scarves, ties, bags, hats and capes) and holiday specialties.

Currently, Made in Armenia Direct goods are sold in 12 retail stores
across the nation, with some as close as Arlington and others as far as
Wisconsin. While she doesn’t mind the Web-based business, she said the work
attracts more attention if sold in retail stores.

“Every artisan is an independent agent,” she said. “They’re not
employed by me.”

O’Reilly said she is very cognizant of child labor laws, and none of
the goods she sells are produced in sweat shops. Also, she doesn’t negotiate
with the artisans, and generally pays them what they ask. If the product
does not sell because the cost is too high, she believes the craftspeople
will understand why she doesn’t order from them anymore.

“I don’t want to compete with third-world countries for goods,” said
O’Reilly.

When the business first began, she found artisans by walking through
the park that gave her the idea for the business, and approaching them to
ask if she could market for them. She also knows a few Armenian Americans
who have since moved back to Armenia, and help her identify certain gifted
artisans. Mostly, her search for craftspeople passes from word-of-mouth, and
she almost never returns to the park that sparked the idea.

“Some artisans who used to sell their goods in the park aren’t there
anymore,” said O’Reilly. “It’s because I’m giving them enough business.”

O’Reilly showed off examples of several of the goods that Made in
Armenia Direct sells. She said hand-sewn cards, available only in retail
store locations, were made in an orphanage. O’Reilly said this may sound
like a sweat shop, but explained the children who live in the orphanage are
trained with a skill at 16 years so they will be prepared to enter the world
once they turn 18. The cards are made by teen-agers preparing to leave the
orphanage.

“It fits nicely with one of my goals to keep the artisans in Armenia,
but allow them to work and live with dignity,” she said.

Also, O’Reilly said she worked with college-aged students at a design
school in Armenia to design and create a cape. While the student’s work was
terrific, O’Reilly said the project hit a snag when she realized the
students did not have “American taste” and were unsure what colors, fabrics
and patterns to incorporate in the design. From now on, O’Reilly brings
American catalogs with her whenever she travels to Armenia to show the
artisans the type of things people in this country have a desire for.

“It was a lot of work designing the cape but we all did it together,”
she said.

While she travels a lot with her husband, O’Reilly said they had never
been to Armenia before 1991 when they accompanied the Armenian Assembly of
America. She said a devastating earthquake hit Armenia in 1988, and the
assembly and U.S. government raised a total of $7 million for relief
efforts. Specifically, she said the money was used to build a housing
manufacturing plant to help more than 500,000 displaced Armenians.

“Attending the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the factory is what brought
me to Armenia, and the trip changed my life,” she said.

O’Reilly tells all the Armenian Americans she meets if they visit their
home country – they will not return the same. She saw many impoverished
people, thought of her grandparents and felt how fortunate she was.

“I felt for those people and thought it was my responsibility to take
care of my homeland,” she said.

Made in Armenia Direct products can be purchased at Artwear or
Crossroads Trade, both located on Massachusetts Avenue in Arlington. They
can also be found via the Web site

NATO SUPPORTS PRESENCE OF PEACEKEEPERS IN SECURITY ZONE

A1+
24-02-2005

NATO Secretary General’s Special Representative for Caucasus and
Central Asia Robert Simmons does not see any possibility of posting
NATO peacekeeping forces on the territories of security belt around
Nagorno Karabakh today.

When responding to A1+’s question Mr. Simmons stated that such outlook
is possible if the conflicting parties come to an agreement. According
to him,NATO will support similar agreement achieved by the parties to
conflict as well as the dislocating of peacekeeping forces in
future. However he added that it is early to speak of it to date.

AZG Armenian Daily #034, 25/02/2005

Nagorno Karabakh
13 YEARS AFTER KHOJALU TRAGEDY
Heydar Aliyev: “We’ll Benefit from Bloodshed. We Should Not Intervene With
the Events”
On Feb. 25 of 1992 Nagorno Karabakh forces took their stand in the west of
Khojalu and demanded the enemy to leave the village and to guide the
civilians out via the humanitarian corridor they provided. The Azerbaijani
president of the time, Ayaz Mutalibov, confessed to Nezavisimoya Gazeta on
April 2 that “the Armenians provided a corridor for the people to draw
back”.
An American senator said during the World War I that the truth is the first
victim of war. These words may well be applied to Khojalu. No one was able
to answer why the Azeri armed forces reckoning on Shushi and Ghojalu as
bridgeheads didn’t lead civilians out of Khojalu while the Karabakh side
gave them a chance.
Regardless the reasons, what happened in Khojalu was a tragedy that claimed
lives of 613 civilians. 34 Armenians were killed in the battles of February
25-27.
The February of 1992 was the toughest period in Karabakh war for the
Armenians. The Azeri armed groups occupied more than 40 percent of Nagorno
Karabakh’s territory and kept rocketing capital city of Stepanakert from
Ghojalu, Aghdam and Shushi day and night. Hundreds died under ruins as
result of bombardments.
The only airport of Nagorno Karabakh was in Khojalu. In 1992 the Karabakh
forces had not yet opened the Lachin humanitarian corridor and had not yet
liberated Shushi. In fact, air communication between Armenia and Nagorno
Karabakh at that time was the only one. Karabakh was squeezed in grip.
Heydar Aliyev, chairman of Nakhijevan parliament of the time, placed all
blame for the tragedy on former Azeri authorities, precisely Ayaz Mutalibov.
“We’ll Benefit from Bloodshed. We should not intervene with the events”,
Azeri Biliq Dunyas agency quoted Aliyev as saying right after the tragedy.
Allegedly, first publications on Khojalu events in the international press
were on February 27 in The Washington Post and The Sunday Times. American
journalist Thomas Goltz, who had an Azeri wife by the way, was the author of
both articles. Goltz wrote about Khojalu while in Baku and visited the
village only few days later as his articles were published.
There were other journalists as well who wrote about Khojalu after the
tragedy but, contrary to Goltz, after having visited the spot. So, The Times
correspondents, Anatol Lieven and Rory Peck, were the first journalists who
visited Khojalu and took pictures. One and half a year ago Peck was killed
in Moscow during the Ostankino events.
French journalist, Florance David, from French TV broadcasted on March 2
that Armenians and Azeris agreed on exchanging bodies of the killed.
Florance saw 100 corpses on the ground while they were being exchanged. In a
short while he noticed an Azeri helicopter with foreign journalists shooting
pictured of the dead from aboard. Florance reported that the Turkish press
and TV represented the scene as “massacre of hundreds of Azeris by
Armenians”.
Czech journalist, Jana Mazalova, interviewed already the former president
Ayaz Mutalibov several weeks later. The latter said: “The scene of massacres
was staged”. In November 13 issue of 1992 Izvastia wrote: “It was possible
to avert Khojalu tragedy”.
Azeri cameraman, Chingiz Mustafayev, who worked in Aghdam from February 28
to March 2, was suspicious over Azerbaijan’s official view that Armenians
carried out massacre of civilians in Khojalu. The journalist had a high
price to pay for honestly accusing the Azeri forces of Khojalu tragedy. Soon
after his publication he was killed in Aghdam which was under Azeris control
at the time.
The former chairman of Azeri parliament, Tamerlan Garayev, said: “The
Khojalu tragedy was perpetrated by Azeri authorities, by someone from
high-ranking officials”. Recently, vice-chairman of the Azeri parliament,
Ziafed Askerov, told Zerkalo that Ayaz Mutalibov and his entourage and the
Peoples’ Front are the ones to blame for Khojalu.
Stepanakert considers that Baku is trying to “veil” the massacres of
Armenian population in Sumgait on February 25-28 of 1988.
By Tatoul Hakobian

AZG Armenian Daily #034, 25/02/2005

Nagorno Karabakh

‘AZERI FAMILIES LIVE IN STEPANAKERT AND ASKERAN, MOREOVER, THEY LIVE QUITE A
NORMAL LIFE’

Journalist Eynula Fatulaev Tells Azeri Press About His Impressions in NKR

Eynula Fatulaev, journalist of Monitor Azeri newspaper, visited NKR and
Aghdam on February 11-20. Returning to Baku, Fatulaev told about his
impressions in interviews to Zerkalo and Ekho. The article published in
Zerkalo in entitled was “Childish Naivety or Treason?”

“I arrived in Yerevan on February 10 and began working in Karabakh the next
day. In general, I should emphasize that the “NKR” authorities implemented
all their commitments. All the conditions were created for my activities
without any limitation. I came across the only prohibition in Aghdam. They
didn’t allow me to take any photo there. I was quite free in my activities
in all the places I visited,” Fatulaev told Ekho.

In response to the question what was the most surprising thing for him,
Fatulaev said: “The development of the civic and democratic institutions
surprised me most of all. They say that such institutes are more developed
in here, than in Yerevan. “NKR President” Arkady Ghukasian said that “the
world would never forgive NKR authoritarian and anti-democratic regime, and
that is why we should develop the civic institutions.”

“I visited the occupied territories 5 years ago, and, to tell the truth,
there have been great changes there. The military-political regime changed
into a semi-democratic one. In general, one can’t call “NKR” a democratic
state, notwithstanding the fact that democratic elections have already been
hold in “NKR.” The opposition representative won the elections of 2004.
Eduard Aghabekian, main opponent of Ghukasian became a mayor. Besides, there
is independent mass media in Karabakh. I got acquainted with the journalists
of the oppositional press. They are rather strictly criticizing “NKR”
authorities and that gets on one’s nerves, but they are tolerant,” Fatulaev
said.

Fatulaev got the impression after the meetings with Arkady Ghukasian, NKR
President, Arman Melikian, NKR foreign minister, as well as with other
officials and political figures that the Armenian side will never return
Lachin and Qelbajar. “That is why they are inhabiting these regions,” he
said.

“Lachin, the regional center, is inhabited for almost 80%. Schools, medical
centers, hospitals have been constructed, in one word, all the substructures
of the region are restored. The composition of Lachin’s residents is rather
interesting. Armenians from Iraq, Georgia, Uzbekistan and Lebanon are
dwelling there. There are many Armenians from Spitak who lost their homes as
a result of the earthquake,” Fatulaev said and added that in the course of
the 11 days he spent in Karabakh the electricity was never switched off. The
whole population of Karabakh has natural gas.”

Azeri journalist met his compatriots, as well. “Azeri families live in
Stepanakert and Askeran, moreover, they live quite a normal life. There are
10-15 families in Stepanakert and 10 families in Askeran. I took interviews
from them for Monitor magazine. For example, Tofik Rasulov invited me to his
home. He is from Ujar region. He moved to Askeran with his family in the
60s. In 1989-90 he returned to Ujar because of the well-known events. But he
failed to live there and returned. He and his family members live a serene
and natural life in Askeran,” Fatulaev said.

In particular, Zerkalo got annoyed at the fact that Fatulaev used the name
Stepanakert instead of Khanqendi, as well as at the approach the journalist
applied when representing his impressions that were fair and passionless.

Fatulaev came to think that Arkady Ghukasian and Arman Melikian are “open
people,” as a result of the meetings with these officials. “Ghukasian
mentioned in the conversation with me that he doesn’t call for the
authorities of Azerbaijan to speak Armenian with them, just like Saakashvili
spoke with the Ossetians and the Abkhazians their native language. It was
emphasized that if Azerbaijan considers the Armenians of Karabakh its
citizens, why does it speak to them from the positions of a power.
Principally, I got the impression that they are ready for a dialogue. As a
high-ranking NKR official told me, today they do not exclude the possibility
of establishing horizontal relations with the official Baku within the
framework of one state,” he said.

“At present, a generation grows up in Karabakh that has got accustomed to
the idea that Karabakh is a separate administrative unit and isn’t in the
structure of Azerbaijan. In few years, this generation will come to the
policy, business and find its place among the society of Karabakh. It will
be much more difficult to agree with those people, than with the today’s
ruling group. In this connection, the Karabakh authorities emphasize that
they are ready to hold negotiations with the representatives of Azerbaijan,
even on the level of the ministers,” Fatulaev said.

By Tatoul Hakobian

AZG Armenian Daily #034, 25/02/2005

Meeting

ROLE OF MASS MEDIA IN BUILDING A JURAL STATE

On Feb. 23 Femida NGO invited Ashot Mkrtchian, head of the Anti-Drug
Department, and Sayat Shirinian, head of Department for Public Relations of
the RA Police, to meet the media within the frameworks of European
Commission’s “Role of Mass Media in Building a Jural State” program. Mr.
Mkrtchian gave a brief overview of the anti-drug campaign in the republic
and noted that the drugs are the most serious problem that the world faces
today. In comparison with the European states, situation in Armenia “is
better and is still amenable to control”. Being situated on the crossroad of
drug trafficking countries, Armenia will face serious problems if turned
into a transit country.

Concerning woman trafficking, Mr. Mkrtchian stated that this phenomenon has
a 10-year history in Armenia and noted that a number of NGOs and mass medias
exaggerate figures”. “There are souteneurs who organize this work, but they
are not many”, he said. According to the police figures, 22 prostitutes left
Armenia in 2000 to work abroad, 19 in 2001, 26 in 2002, 21 in 2003, 32 in
2004. Two of them were engaged in human trafficking. There were 13 Armenian
prostitutes in Arabian Emirates; 9 more ponces in UAE are wanted.

By Marietta Makarian

Chief of Russian Railway Calls for Restoration of Link via Abkhazia
/ Civil Georgia, Tbilisi / 2005-02-24 17:58:02

Chief of the state-run Russian Railway Company Genadi Fadeev said on
February 24 that restoration of the railway link through Georgia’s breakaway
republic of Abkhazia “will be the key for resolving problems in the
Caucasus,” RIA Novosti news agency reported.
The railway link via Abkhazia has been defunct for the past eleven years,
after the armed conflict in the region ended. However, Russia unilaterally
restored rail traffic between Moscow and the Abkhaz capital of Sokhumi in
2004.
Genadi Fadeev said that the current situation with the railway communication
is absolutely acceptable for Abkhazia. “[Rail] traffic is organized there,”
he added.
He also said that involved parties should launch talks in order to restore
the railway connection between Russia and Georgia via Abkhazia, which will
also be beneficial for Armenia.

U.S. Dept of Commerce
24 Feb 2005

SABIT Grants Facilitate International Cooperation

SABIT offers competitive grants to cover a share of the costs of hosting
mid- to senior-level Eurasian managers and scientists for 3 to 6 months of
hands-on, professional training in U.S. managerial, research and technology
development practices. The SABIT Grant Program encourages U.S. exports and
investment in Eurasia, and assists economic development by facilitating
partnerships between the U.S. and Eurasian business and scientific
communities.

Participating U.S. organizations may either nominate a candidate from their
existing Eurasian business contacts, or work with SABIT to recruit and
select a qualified candidate. Organizations can apply to host trainees from
Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova,
Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan. Structured as
reimbursable awards, SABIT grants cover only the following three items:
Round-trip airfare from trainee’s home country to the training site
$34 per diem to cover trainee’s living expenses
Up to $750 per month for housing costs

The host organization is responsible for any additional costs associated
with the training (overhead costs, domestic travel, etc.)

Eligibility

Any American profit or non-profit organization or institution may apply. The
Grant Program is ideally suited for small and medium sized businesses that
are new-to-market exporters looking to establish long-term relationships
with potential customers, distributors or partners. Organizations currently
operating in Eurasia may also utilize a SABIT Grant to expand relationships
with and train existing partners, or to establish additional regional
representative offices. Companies, universities and institutes involved in
technology transfer and commercialization have used SABIT Grants to form
cooperative research and development partnerships with the Eurasian
scientific community. Non-governmental organizations have transferred
institutional knowledge, technical expertise, and skills to Eurasian
partners and associates through the SABIT Grant Program.

Armenian Assembly of America
122 C Street, NW, Suite 350
Washington, DC 20001
Phone: 202-393-3434
Fax: 202-638-4904
Email: [email protected]
Web:

PRESS RELEASE
February 24, 2005
CONTACT: Ross Vartian
Email: [email protected]
Cell: (202) 669-7231

Armenian Assembly, AGBU and the Western Diocese Honor Righteous
Nations and Organizations as Part of 90th Anniversary Armenian
Genocide Events

Los Angeles, CA – More than 270 community leaders and supporters
participated today in a national tribute honoring countries that took
action while the Armenian Genocide was being carried out or later
affirmed the facts of history. A last-minute campaign waged by Turkey
to sabotage and prevent the remembrance ceremony failed.

The “International Refuge, Relief and Recognition Tribute,” part of a
series of local, national, and international events designed to
commemorate and raise awareness of the 90th anniversary of the
Armenian Genocide, took on added significance last week when some
nations that agreed to receive the honor and attend the luncheon
tribute withdrew their participation in the face of Turkish demands
and intimidation.

The Armenian Assembly, Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU) and
the Western Diocese of the Armenian Church, as event organizers joined
with the community in saluting those countries for either raising
awareness of this crime, for taking resolute steps to end the
genocidal process, for providing relief to the survivors or for
affirming the historical truth. Organizers and guests gave thanks to
all nations and organizations that helped save lives, but particularly
to those that attended today despite the Turkish government’s
campaign.

Among the countries honored today were: Argentina, Belgium, Bulgaria,
Canada, Cyprus, Denmark, Egypt, Ethiopia, France, Georgia, Germany,
Greece, Italy, Jordan, Lebanon, Netherlands, Norway, Romania, Russia,
Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, United Kingdom, Uruguay, and the
United States. The Vatican and the Near East Foundation were also
recognized.

“Some nations who had initially committed to participate in this
recognition commemoration withdrew in the face Turkish pressure. This
solves nothing,” Assembly Board of Directors Chairman Anthony
Barsamian said in his remarks. “The dead are not honored for their
sacrifice. The actions of the righteous are not recalled. And
ironically, the descendants of the victimizers are not allowed to come
to terms with the truth.”

Special guests included former California Governor and Honorary
Chairman George Deukmejian, Los Angeles Mayor James Hahn, Los Angeles
County District Attorney Robert Philibosian as master of ceremonies,
former Consul General of the Republic of Armenia Gagik Kirakosian,
American Red Cross of Greater Los Angeles’ President Rod Hagenbuch and
Chief Deputy Director for Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger Lisa
Kalustian.

Governor Schwarzenegger, for his part, marked the occasion with a
letter to event organizers which said in part: “I salute your efforts
to honor those courageous individuals, organizations and countries who
did not turn their heads but attempted to provide relief and refuge to
their neighbors. Thank you for your commitment to the democratic
principles that make ours a great nation.”

Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA), a staunch supporter of Armenian-American
issues, also extended her best wishes for the event via a letter which
said: “Although I cannot be with you today, please know that I am
there in spirit,” the Senator wrote. “I want you to know that I will
continue to support official recognition of the Armenian Genocide as
long as I am in the U.S. Senate.”

Barsamian, in his speech, applauded the efforts of the U.S. in
attempting to prevent the genocide while again calling on America’s
formal and irrevocable reaffirmation of the truth. “There is
inevitability to universal affirmation of the Armenian Genocide and
America cannot be an exception.”

Barsamian also noted by way of example that U.S. Ambassador to Armenia
John Evans repeatedly categorized the events of 1915 as the “Armenian
Genocide” during his recent public meetings with Armenian-American
communities throughout the country. Evans’ remarks are in keeping
with contemporaneous declarations of Presidents Ronald Regan in 1981
and that of George Bush who employed the textbook definition of
genocide in 2001 and 2004.

Furthermore, Evans’ characterization conforms to the publicly stated
conclusions 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 stated 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.”

The Armenian Assembly of America is the largest Washington-based
nationwide organization promoting public understanding and awareness
of Armenian issues. It is a 501 (c) (3) tax-exempt membership
organization.

###

NR#2005-015

Editor’s Note: Below please find the full text of Assembly Board of
Directors Chairman Anthony Barsamian’s remarks at the “International
Refuge, Relief and Recognition Tribute”

February 24, 2005

Your Eminence, Reverend clergy, Your Excellencies, Ladies and
Gentlemen,

This remembrance and recognition highlights two issues of critical
importance to the horrific recurrence of Genocide and the apparent
impotence of the world to stop this crime against us all.

First, the history of genocide must remain inviolable and periodically
affirmed regardless of political discomfort or cost so that we may
learn its lessons.

Second, the actions of 3rd parties are vital to raising awareness
about the crime as soon as it becomes known, to taking resolute steps
to end the genocidal process, to bring to account the perpetrators, to
provide comfort to the survivors, and to forever remember all
instances of genocide.

This is why the Armenian Assembly joined with the AGBU and the Diocese
to remember those nations and organizations that took action while the
Armenian Genocide was being carried out and subsequently. Armenians
remain deeply indebted to all who refused the easy path of
indifference and inaction. You saved lives, you affirmed the truth,
and you bore witness so that the world would be better equipped to act
on the meaning of “Never Again”.

As Voltaire said, “to the living we owe respect, to the dead we owe
the truth”.

As is evident today, the Republic of Turkey refuses to accept the
judgment of history that the Ottoman Turkish government committed
genocide against its Armenian minority. Instead, Turkey attempts to
impose its revisionism on a civilized world that knows better, but
occasionally succumbs to Turkish demands and intimidation by
refraining from affirming the truth. Nations who had initially
committed to participate in this recognition commemoration withdrew in
the face of such Turkish pressure. This solves nothing. The dead are
not honored for their sacrifice. The actions of the righteous are not
recalled. And ironically, the descendants of the victimizers are not
allowed to come to terms with the truth.

Nevertheless, we pause today and throughout this 90th commemorative
year to give thanks to all nations and organizations that came to our
aid – but particularly to those that attended today despite the
Turkish government’s campaign to stop you.

For Turkey’s state sponsored denial effort, having this event is a
defeat. This is a good day for the truth.

As Armenian-Americans, we recall with special appreciation the leading
role of the United States in attempting to prevent the Armenian
Genocide and in aiding those that survived. As Armenian-Americans, we
look to the United States to continue this proud chapter of American
history by reaffirming the facts of this most calamitous chapter of
Armenian history. There is an inevitability to universal affirmation
of the Armenian Genocide, and America has not and will not be an
exception.

A case in point is the recently concluded visit of U.S. Ambassador to
Armenia John Evans with major Armenian-American communities across the
country. In his public commentaries, Ambassador Evans repeatedly
employed the words “Armenian Genocide” to properly characterize the
attempted annihilation of our people by Ottoman Turkey.

This is in keeping with President Regan’s proclamation of April 22,
1981 where he stated in part, “like the genocide of the Armenians
before it, and the genocide of the Cambodians which followed it – and
like too many other persecutions of too many other people – the
lessons of the Holocaust must never be forgotten”…

And also with the thrust of President Bush’s 2001 to 2004 April 24
messages that set forth the textbook definition of genocide without
using the word. Ambassador Evans completed the thought.

The Ambassador’s characterization also is in keeping with the public
declarations of over 120 renowned Holocaust and Genocide scholars
regarding “the incontestable fact of the Armenian Genocide”.

Further, Ambassador Evans’ characterization conforms to the summary
conclusion of the International Center for Transitional Justice on the
use of the term Armenian Genocide. ICTJ stated 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.”

The Armenian-American community will not rest until the United States
formally and irrevocably reaffirms the Armenian Genocide. By so
doing, we forever advance the special role of the United States in
genocide prevention.

Today, we are here to honor 17 nations who have joined the movement
towards universal affirmation of the Armenian Genocide. You have
appropriately remembered this instance of man’s inhumanity to man.
You have stepped forward to combat denial and revisionism. We will
never forget your solidarity.

OSCE.org
Feb 23 2005

OSCE Office signs memorandum with Armenian Defence Ministry on
elimination of rocket fuel component stocks

YEREVAN, 23 February 2005 – A memorandum of understanding on the
elimination of rocket fuel component stocks in Armenia was signed
yesterday in Yerevan by the Head of the OSCE Office in Yerevan,
Ambassador Vladimir Pryakhin, and the Minister of Defence of Armenia
and Secretary of the National Security Council, Serzh Sargssian.

These rocket fuel components, known as melange, represent a
considerable environmental risk after prolonged storage, in addition
to the inherent security risk.

Following an official request from Armenia in April 2004 for
technical and financial support for the recycling of 872 tons of
melange, the Office arranged for international experts to advise on
the environmentally sound recycling of the chemicals.

The method of neutralizing the melange chosen by the OSCE will result
in the added positive by-product of a liquid fertilizer for use by
Armenia’s farmers.

“The Office will continue to support this important activity, which
aims to improve both the environment and the security of the Armenian
population,” said Ambassador Pryakhin at the signing ceremony. “It is
also an example of fruitful co-operation between the OSCE and the
Government of Armenia”.

Defence Minister Sargssian praised the active co-operation with the
OSCE Office and thanked the OSCE participating States for their
valuable technical support and financial contributions.

The project is financed by the Governments of the United States,
Germany, Finland, as well as Canada, which contributed through the
OSCE-UNDP-UNEP Environment and Security Initiative to the initial
stage of the project, successfully completed last year.

For further information, please contact:

Gohar Avagyan
OSCE Office in Yerevan
89 Teryan St.
375009, Yerevan
Armenia
Tel.: +374 1 54 10 62
+374 1 54 58 45
Fax: +374 1 54 10 61