TURKEY GETS READY TO HINDER ARMENIAN GENOCIDE`S 90-TH ANNIVERSARY
By Hakob Chakrian

AZG Armenian Daily
Sept 29 2004

NEW YORK, 29.09.04. `Turkey is getting ready to hinder Armenian
Genocide`s 90-th anniversary`, Abdullah Gul, foreign affairs minister
of Turkey, declared in New York. Gul met with representatives of the
Turkish community of America in New York`s Turkish House and shared
the plans against `US Armenians` undertakings concerning the so-called
Armenian Genocide`s 90-th anniversary`, Anatolu news agency informs.

`The Foreign Ministry has set up a committee for that purpose. The
committee will call meetings and do scientific research on the
matter. The members of the committee will visit you in the US from
time to time`, Abdullah Gul said. Meanwhile the minister called on
the Turks of USA to apply for American citizenship.

Reuters AlertNet, UK
Sept 29 2004

Beslan Receives Assistance from UMCOR
29 Sep 2004 19:15:00 GMT

Source: NGO latest

United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) – USA Website:
http://http:// Teachers and school
leaders in Beslan, in the Russian province of North Ossetia,
where many hundreds died in a tragic siege at a city school last
month, will receive therapeutic workshops and psychosocial support
from an UMCOR partner. UMCOR has donated $10,000 to the Centre for
Peacemaking and Community Development to fund a network of training
and support, including visual arts, music, dance and drama. These
activities help survivors master the intrusive memories of their
experiences. The Centre has been working in the Beslan region since
1995 and responded to local authorities’ urgent request for expertise
in trauma counselling.

UMCOR-Armenia has also provided in-kind assistance for those affected
by the hostage-taking in Beslan. The Armenian Ministry of Social
Welfare asked UMCOR to contribute relief supplies for a container
to be delivered to the town. UMCOR provided 60 school kits and 147
hygiene kits, valued at just under $2,500.00.

UMCOR school kits typically contain scissors, crayons, pens and
pencils, paper and other writing materials. Health kits include such
supplies as hand towels, wash cloths, combs and sterile bandages. To
learn more about how to assemble school and health kits, you can find
specifications online.

ARMENIAN DEPUTY FM RECEIVES IRAQI FM’S ADVISER

ArmenPress
Sept 29 2004

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 29, ARMENPRESS: Armenian deputy foreign minister
Ruben Shugarian received September 28 an adviser to Iraqi foreign
minister Tarik Muhammad Yahia and the owner of Iraqi Nouruz Group
Holding Mustafa Jaf.

According to foreign minister press services, during the meeting
the sides emphasized that Armenia has always demonstrated a
balanced position on the Iraqi crises and supported peaceful and
swift regulation of the problem focusing on humanitarian actions and
projects in post-conflict period which is appreciated in Iraq.

The director of Nouruz Group Holding expressed readiness to develop
trade and economic relations with Armenia, particularly to establish an
Armenian-Iraqi joint venture and a bank as well as to import Armenian
products to Iraq. The Iraqi side also underscored organization of
direct flights between Yerevan and Baghdad.

ARMENIAN CULTURAL DAYS HELD IN BELGIAN ANTWERP

ArmenPress
Sept 29 2004

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 29, ARMENPRESS: On the initiation of Armenian
cultural center Nuart, Armenian cultural days were held in Belgian
Antwerp from Sept 16 to 22 dedicated to the day of independence in
Armenia, Armenian culture and youth affairs ministry publishing agency
head Eduard Militonian told Armenpress.

In his words, singers from Armenia performed for Belgian public as
well as Armenian, Belgian and Check groups from Antwerp came up with
their national dances. A newly established non-profit organization
in Antwerp, Kenats Tun, presented samples of carpets and applied
art in their building. Recently published books in Armenia were
exhibited in Antwerp university. Some 150 exhibited books together
with Militonian’s personal contribution of 200 books were donated
to the library of Nuart cultural center library. Near a cross-stone
symbolizing Armenian-Belgian friendship, a singer Sofi performed
Armenian medieval songs.

In E. Militonian terms, organization of such evens is imported for
poorly organized Armenian community in Belgium for preservation of
Armenian identity and national self-consciousness. He also noted that
it was the first ever such big event organized in that community and
the organizers try to make it annual.

ASBAREZ ONLINE
TOP STORIES
09/29/2004
TO ACCESS PREVIOUS ASBAREZ ONLINE EDITIONS PLEASE VISIT OUR
WEBSITE AT <;HTTP://

1) Pallone Speaks-out on Azeri War Rhetoric Against Armenia
2) Volunteers Scour Little Armenia Streets
3) Karabagh Moves to Step-up Security of Border Regions.
4) Gul Ties Armenia-Turkish Relations to Karabagh Conflict
5) Hairenik Online Radio Launched

1) Pallone Speaks-out on Azeri War Rhetoric Against Armenia

“A failure on our part to forcefully and publicly confront the Azerbaijani
government over these destabilizing threats would, in our view, send extremely
dangerous signals to Azerbaijan,”

WASHINGTON, DC (ANCA)–In a powerful statement on the House floor Tuesday
evening, Congressional Armenian Caucus Chairman Frank Pallone (D-NJ) spoke
about the dangers of the increasing inflammatory Azeri statements against
Armenia.
As recently as in the past few months, Azeri President Ilham Aliyev and his
Cabinet Members called for a military takeover of neighboring Armenia and the
decimation of its population in the coming decades.
In his remarks, Pallone cited statements “made by officials in the government
of President Aliyev calling into question the very existence of Armenia. For
example, as reported by Radio Free Europe, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry
spokesman called for Azerbaijan’s takeover of the entire territory of Armenia
and removal of the entire Armenian population from the Caucasus. He went so
far
as to say, and I quote, ‘Within the next 25 years there will exist no state of
Armenia in the South Caucasus.’ Given Azerbaijan’s history of aggression
against Armenians, these remarks can’t be dismissed as mere rhetoric.”
Pallone continued to highlight Azerbaijan’s refusal to allow Armenian troops
to participate in NATO exercises in Azerbaijan, despite Armenia’s willingness
to allow similar participation by Azerbaijan in exercises last year.
Noting Armenia’s ongoing commitment to the “peace process and the terms
agreed
to in the Key West summit,” and “the crucial role that the United States plays
in the negotiations over Nagorno-Karabagh,” Pallone called on the
Administration to take action. “A failure on our part to forcefully and
publicly confront the Azerbaijani government over these destabilizing threats
would, in our view, send extremely dangerous signals to Azerbaijan,” explained
the Congressman.

Last week, Pallone joined his Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chair Joe
Knollenberg (R-MI) in urging House Colleagues to ask President Bush to
publicly
condemn Azerbaijan’s war rhetoric and other increasingly bellicose remarks
against the Republic of Armenia and Mountainous Karabagh. In a “Dear
Colleague”
letter sent to the 141 Armenian Caucus members, Pallone and Knollenberg cited
the dangers of Azerbaijan’s ongoing war statements. The letter to President
Bush, which currently has 35 cosigners, states:
“Efforts to reinforce stability and reduce the risk of conflict are in the
best interests of the United States and the region. The Nagorno Karabakh peace
process will achieve nothing if Azerbaijan is allowed to risk war and predict
ethnic cleansing with impunity. To this end, we urge that you condemn these
remarks and call upon the government of Azerbaijan to desist in making any
further threats against Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh.”

HOUSE FLOOR STATEMENT BY CONGRESSMAN FRANK PALLONE, JR. URGING US
CONDEMNATION
OF RECENT AZERI THREATS AGAINST ARMENIA

September 28, 2004

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to bring your attention to recent statements
made by
high-ranking government officials in Azerbaijan that directly and
significantly
threaten the security of Armenia, as well as efforts towards a peaceful
settlement over the Nagorno-Karabagh conflict.
This issue, if not compellingly addressed by the Administration, has the
potential to undermine US interests and American values in the strategically
important Caucasus region.
I refer to the recent remarks made by officials in the government of
President
Aliyev calling into question the very existence of Armenia. For example, as
reported by Radio Free Europe, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry spokesman
called for Azerbaijan’s takeover of the entire territory of Armenia and
removal
of the entire Armenian population from the Caucasus. He went so far as to say,
and I quote, “Within the next 25 years there will exist no state of Armenia in
the South Caucasus.” Given Azerbaijan’s history of aggression against
Armenians, these remarks can’t be dismissed as mere rhetoric.
Furthermore, Azerbaijan recently blocked key NATO exercises in the country,
due to their opposition towards having Armenian officers taking part in the
exercises. In fact, in June of 2003, Armenia served as the host country for
similar exercises, to which Azerbaijani military forces were invited, yet
refused to participate. This year, Armenia was one of several dozen countries
due to participate, yet the initiative was blocked by Azerbaijan, who is
continuing its efforts to undermine the prospects for peace in the Caucasus
region.
Azerbaijan’s threats against Armenia’s survival reinforce our commitment to
maintaining parity in US military aid to Armenia and Azerbaijan. This
arrangement means even more today than when it was first put in place,
particularly in light of Baku’s increasingly aggressive posture towards
Armenia. Any tilt in military spending toward Azerbaijan could, in our view,
destabilize the region by emboldening the new Azerbaijani leadership to
continue their threats to impose a military solution of the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict.
Just last week, the Republic of Armenia celebrated its 2nd Independence,
marking 13 years of freedom from Soviet rule. We have seen considerable
economic growth in the country. Despite the continued illegal blockade by
Turkey and Azerbaijan, a recent Wall Street Journal study found that Armenia
remains the most economically free nation in the region. Today, Armenia is
steadfast in its support of the US, as exhibited by their recent announcement
of plans to send a unit of deminers, doctors and 50 trucks, including staff
and
drivers, to assist the coalition forces in Iraq.
It is critical to note that Armenia is today, as it has always been,
committed
to the peace process and the terms agreed to in the Key West summit. Since the
beginning of the Nagorno-Karabagh and Azerbaijan conflict, Armenia has been
committed to finding a peaceful resolution. Moreover, I can’t stress enough,
Mr. Speaker, the crucial role that the United States plays in the negotiations
over Nagorno-Karabakh, to help the people of this region find a lasting and
equitable peace. So, these threats by Azerbaijan undermine these efforts and
seriously complicate our diplomacy in the region. A failure on our part to
forcefully and publicly confront the Azerbaijani government over these
destabilizing threats would, in our view, send extremely dangerous signals to
Azerbaijan.
So, Mr. Speaker, I hope that the United States takes action to condemn these
remarks, and we here, in this Chamber, do everything that we can to ensure
that
all parties involved in this conflict make a genuine commitment towards peace
and stability in the region.

2) Volunteers Scour Little Armenia Streets

LITTLE ARMENIA–Hundreds of Armenian youth gathered in Little Armenia Saturday
for AYF’s 2nd Annual Little Armenia Cleanup. Volunteers from throughout
Southern California and even Fresno helped remove thousands of pounds of trash
from major streets in Los Angeles known as Little Armenia. Organized by the
Armenian Youth Federation and cosponsored by Los Angeles City Councilmember
Eric Garcetti’s Office, the cleanup attracted volunteers from the public at
large and community organizations such as the AYF, Homenetmen Los Angeles
Chapter, and the ARF Badanegan Organization. More in-depth coverage of the
event will be provided in the upcoming Saturday edition of Asbarez.

3) Karabagh Moves to Step-up Security of Border Regions.

STEPANAKERT (Armenpress)The government of Mountainous Karabagh Republic (MKR)
moved to increase its state budget allocation for the tightening of
security of
its border regions, with stricter regulation of the roads in the coming 2 to 3
years, and reconstruction of highways leading to its borders. These security
measures will also include equipping border villages with defense facilities.
Public facilities will also be constructed in the remote border regions in
order to improve the inhabitant’s quality of life.
These projects will mostly be state-funded, and are expected to run
approximately 4 billion dram, reflecting a 2 billion increase from fiscal year
2004.

4) Gul Ties Armenia-Turkish Relations to Karabagh Conflict

NEW YORK (Armenpress)–During their meeting held on the sidelines of the
ongoing session of the UN General Assembly, Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan
Oskanian and Turkish Counterpart Abdullah Gul, officially announced that they
“explored bilateral issues as well as regional concerns.” The Turkish
newspaper
Hurriyet, however, reported that Gul told Oskanian the normalization of
Turkish-Armenian relations, and its lifting of the blockade of Armenia are
tied
to a resolution of the Mountainous Karabagh conflict, and can only be
discussed
after such a resolution is found.

5) Hairenik Online Radio Launched

The Hairenik Association, Inc. has launched an online Armenian Radio Station
that not only provides a variety of Armenian music online, 24 hours a day, but
also makes available news and other interesting information about the Armenian
community in the US, Armenia, Artsakh, Javakhk, and the Armenian diaspora.
To listen to the Hairenik Online Radio go to: , click on
the RADIO button, then choose the player of choice.

All subscription inquiries and changes must be made through the proper carrier
and not Asbarez Online. ASBAREZ ONLINE does not transmit address changes and
subscription requests.
(c) 2004 ASBAREZ ONLINE. All Rights Reserved.

ASBAREZ provides this news service to ARMENIAN NEWS NETWORK members for
academic research or personal use only and may not be reproduced in or through
mass media outlets.

Permanent Mission of the Republic of Armenia
to the United Nations
119E 36th street, New York, NY 10016
Tel.: 1-212-686-9079
Fax: 1-212-686-3934
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:

September 29, 2004

PRESS RELEASE

Minister Oskanian participated at the United Nations General Debate

Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian delivered Armenia’s annual message at the
United Nations on Wednesday, September 29, 2004. The Minister addressed the
59th Session of the General Assembly on such issues as UN reform, the
Millennium Development Goals, and the fight against terrorism. At the same
time, he addressed the Nagorno Karabagh conflict, and Armenia’s position on
prospects for its resolution. Local students and representatives of Armenian
organizations were present to hear the statement, and later participated in
a short question-and-answer period with the Minister.

The speech came at the conclusion of a three-day visit during which the
Minister met with various UN officials, as well as foreign ministers. On
Wednesday, the Minister met with Mr. Kofi Annan, Secretary General of the
United Nations, with whom he discussed various UN issues, as well as matters
related to Armenia-UN cooperation. At the Secretary General’s request, the
Minister briefed Mr. Annan on the Nagorno Karabagh peace process.

Earlier in the day, Mr. Oskanian also met with the Secretary General’s
Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide Mr. Juan Mendez. Minister
Oskanian held a short meeting with Mr. Amre Moussa, Secretary General of the
League of Arab States, where the two welcomed Armenia’s inclusion in the
Arab League with observer status. Within the margins of the UN, Minister
Oskanian conferred with the foreign ministers of China, Turkey, Egypt, and
Lebanon. He also met with the US Undersecretary of State Mark Grossman, the
US Co-chair of the Minsk Group Ambassador Steven Mann, and the Deputy
Foreign Minister of Italy.

Please find below the text of the speech in full.

STATEMENT

by
H.E. Mr. Vartan Oskanian
Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia

at the

59th SESSION OF THE UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY

New York, September 29, 2004

Mr. President,

Our congratulations to you, Mr. Ping, our thanks to Mr. Julian Hunte and to
the Secretary General for their efforts during this difficult year.

Last year, we marked our concern for the restoration of sovereignty in Iraq,
and the reinvigoration of the Middle East peace process. This year we wish
to especially note the critical need to end the tragedy in Darfur.
Armenians, victims of the 20th century’s first genocide, know well the
long-lasting effects of victimization and homelessness. This is no way to
begin a new millennium. The benefits of globalization should be utilized to
defeat this newest global crisis.

We comprehend all too well that peace and security abroad and at home are
clearly correlated with social and economic dignity today, or, faith in
their possibility tomorrow.

Neither self-satisfied smugness on the one hand, nor self-righteous violence
on the other, are solutions to the great inequalities around the world, and
within each of our countries, even those most developed. Terrorism, in all
its manifestations, affects security, political and economic stability in
our neighborhoods and on our planet. Terrorism from Madrid to Beslan, in
all its manifestations, is inexcusable and unacceptable.

Cognizant that the success of counter-terrorism efforts is conditional on
collective measures, Armenia has readily joined the global fight against
international terrorism. This fight must go beyond effective regional and
international cooperation. It must include the very goals of the Millennium
Declaration – replacing deprivation, poverty and injustice by a universal
respect for human rights and democracy, economic development, equality and
social justice.

In Armenia, we have had a year in which economic growth went hand-in-hand
with increased participation in international organizations, particularly
the UN. Our position in the Human Development Index gives us the confidence
to continue on this path of economic development.

We will also work hard to bolster public-private partnership. We are proud
that Armenia’s major enterprises are each finding ways to contribute to art
and culture, to invest in public life, and become partners in our society’s
pursuit of happiness and quality of life.

In 2005, the international community will review the progress that’s been
made in the implementation of the global development agenda. It would be
most useful if we could focus our resources on implementation of that agenda
rather than on restating our collective good intentions. In other words, we
must find the political will to make the political and financial commitments
necessary to overcome the outstanding obstacles.

Mr. President,

The Millennium Development Goals are guidelines for Armenia. To this end
empowerment of women, child protection, fight against poverty are not just
goals for us, but they are indeed building blocks for a prosperous, healthy,
stable society. The Government of Armenia has approved national action plans
for the Protection of the Rights of the Child, on Improving the Status of
Women and Enhancing Their Role in Society, and for Prevention of Trafficking
in Persons. In addition, a broad anti-corruption strategy, developed with
the participation and counsel of the international community, will
complement the Poverty Reduction Strategy Program that is already beginning
to yield results.

We continue our effective collaboration with UN bodies on a number of
important issues including use of information and communication technologies
to improve governance and institutionalize public-private interactions. With
donor community support, focused institution building and good governance,
we expect that the human rights and democratic reforms of the last decade
will go beyond the solid legislative framework that’s been developed, and
take root, psychologically and socially, in our society.

Armenia, as an active member of ECOSOC and the Commission on Human Rights,
will remain involved in international development cooperation. At the same
time, we will participate in the effort to improve the consultation and
coordination mechanisms that are essential for the effectiveness of the
collective security system and we look forward to the assessment of the
High-level Panel on Threats, Challenges and Change.

We stand for broader cooperation between the UN and regional organizations
as a measure for ensuring broader involvement and commitment by countries in
decision-making and implementation processes. Reform is necessary within
these valued organizations, if we are to effectively address today’s
realities and challenges, and resolve tomorrow’s problems. For this, we
cannot work with yesterday’s mechanisms. In the UN, a revitalized General
Assembly is indispensable for effective action. We would also support India,
Germany and Japan joining countries from Africa, and Latin America as
permanent members of an enlarged and more representative Security Council.

Mr. President,

In these short years, we have done away with the false proposition that we
must choose between East and West, between the old world and the new. We
have done away with the myth that our neighbors can control the pace of our
economic growth and shape its direction. Now, we want to do away with the
dangerous suggestion that yesterday’s adversary is an enemy forever.

Armenia is ready to compromise and collaborate with neighbors who are ready
to join us in making history, not rewriting it. We want to work with an
Azerbaijan that understands its place in a rule-based international order,
not one whose policies, practices and statements threaten the fragile peace
and stability of our region.

Azerbaijan was first in introducing ethnic cleansing to the Soviet space,
first in engaging mercenaries and international terrorists in its own
defense, first in discarding the rules of engagement in international
organizations.

Let me explain. The Armenian presence in this region has been long and
extensive. Denying or revising this history requires systematic planning,
energy and resources. Unfortunately, the government of Azerbaijan has not
spared such resources. Azerbaijan succeeded in eliminating the
Armenians of Nakhichevan who comprised more than half the population. There
are none there today. In Baku and Sumgait, and throughout Azerbaijan, there
were over 400,000 Armenians in the Soviet years. There are none there today.
The Azerbaijani experiment in ethnic cleansing worked.

A decade ago, Azerbaijan retained the services of some of our region’s most
notorious mercenaries and international terrorists — the same names which
you hear again and again — to fight against the Armenian men and women who
were defending their lands and their lives against aerial bombings and
proximate shelling. The terrorists lost, Armenians won.

Finally, Azerbaijan’s leadership dismisses the opportunities offered by
membership in international organizations to build bridges and seek
solutions. Azerbaijan rejects mediation by those who wish to help halt drug
trafficking through its territory. Azerbaijan also dismisses efforts by
Council of Europe and other monitoring groups to come to the region to see
first hand the destruction of thousands of irreplaceable historic and
cultural markers. It crows about its desire for NATO membership even as it
repeatedly prohibits an alliance partner’s participation in NATO exercises.
Worse, Azerbaijan not only does not rebuke, it champions the Azeri military
officer who decapitated a fellow Armenian officer in a NATO training course
in Budapest. It maligns the Minsk Group of the OSCE in order to hide its own
refusal to consider proposals that have grown from the discussions and
negotiations in which its own leadership has participated. For more than
half a decade, it has rejected every proposal placed before it from the
Common State Proposal in 1998 to the Key West document of 2001.

Mr. President,

Armenians prevailed in the military confrontation unleashed by Azerbaijan as
a response to the peaceful demands of the Armenians of Nagorno Karabakh for
self-determination. Contrary to the assertion of Azerbaijan’s president,
Armenians have occupied those lands for over 2000 years, and not just in the
last 10. Today, Nagorno Karabakh has reversed the injustice of the Stalin
years and is free and democratic, tolerant of minorities. Nagorno Karabakh
holds regular elections, has state and security structures, complete control
over its territory, and a growing economy.

If in the last century, Armenians and Azeris were forcibly linked together,
in this next century, where we have earned the right to our own destinies,
we can determine to live together peaceably. If we are serious about
becoming full, deserving residents of the European neighborhood, where
borders don’t matter, but intentions and tolerance do, we will have to come
to terms with our past, with our history, with the realities that have
gripped our region.

Thank you.

Baku wants to stop illegal economic operations in Karabakh

Interfax
Sept 29 2004

Baku. (Interfax-Azerbaijan) – Azerbaijan intends to stop illegal
economic operations of international companies in Nagorno Karabakh.

“We have a special black list of international organizations engaged
in illegal economic operations in Nagorno Karabakh,” Azerbaijani
Deputy Foreign Minister Araz Azimov told reporters on Wednesday.

“A ban will be imposed with regard to these organizations, agencies
and other institutions and sanctions implied by international law
will be applied,” he said.

Azimov said that the Armenian side in Karabakh is taking such illegal
steps as organizing international economic operations, building
settlements and illegally using natural resources.

He said Azerbaijan closely follows the developments and intends to
use international instruments to stop unlawful economic operations
in Karabakh.

Azerbaijan lost control over Nagorno Karabakh and seven adjacent
districts in an armed conflict with Armenia in 1990. Cochairmen of
the OSCE Minsk group representing the United States, Russia and France
are trying to help settle the Nagorno Karabakh conflict.

Glendale News Press
LATimes.com
Sept 29 2004

Schiff continues Genocide battle

Rep. organizes group asking House leaders to stop opposition to bill
that references Armenian Genocide.

By Josh Kleinbaum, News-Press

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Adam Schiff and 62 other representatives
asked Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert to back off his opposition
to an amendment to the Foreign Operations bill that refers to the
Armenian Genocide.

The amendment, proposed by Schiff (D-Glendale) and approved by the
House in July, prohibits Turkey from using U.S. foreign aid to lobby
against a House resolution that would recognize the deaths of 1.5
million Armenians from 1915 to 1923 as a genocide. The amendment is
largely symbolic, because foreign governments are prohibited from
using U.S. foreign aid to lobby Congress.

After the House passed Schiff’s amendment in July, Hastert and other
Republican leaders vowed to prevent the bill from becoming law,
arguing that it did nothing and could harm America’s relationship
with Turkey. Because the Senate did not include similar language in
its version of the Foreign Operations bill, the amendment must
survive a conference committee.

On Tuesday, Schiff sent Hastert (R-Ill.) a letter signed by 62 other
members of the House urging Hastert to back off of his opposition.

Hastert’s office did not return messages seeking comment.

“The underlying issue is very important, that we recognize the facts
of the Armenian Genocide,” Schiff said. “To fail to recognize the
Armenian Genocide that was responsible for the deaths of 1.5 million
Armenians sends a terribly conflicted message, that the United States
Congress will recognize genocide only if political opposition is not
too great.”

The political opposition comes from Turkey, a strategic military ally
to America. Turkish officials claim the number of deaths is
overstated, and that the deaths were not the result of genocide.
Turkey hired a high-powered lobbyist, former House Appropriations
Committee chairman Bob Livingston, to take up its cause.

Schiff’s letter includes signatures from 54 Democrats and eight
Republicans in the House, along with the nonvoting member of the
House from Washington, D.C.

Despite those signatures and strong opposition from the Republican
leadership, the issue does not seem to be partisan. In 2000, Hastert
promised to bring a genocide resolution bill to the floor in a
meeting in Glendale, but backed off at the request of President Bill
Clinton, a Democrat.

“I don’t see it in [partisan] terms,” said Justin Stoner, spokesman
for Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Tulare), one of the eight Republicans to sign
the letter. “There’s other considerations. This comes up year after
year. Every year, there’s reluctance.”

Schiff expects the conference committee, a committee made up of
members of both the House and the Senate, to determine the fate of
his amendment within the next few months.

“I’d say it’s very much an uphill [battle],” Schiff said.

Novinite, Bulgaria
Sept 29 2004

Diamonds Mined in The Rhodopes

Politics: 29 September 2004, Wednesday.

A Bulgarian professor announced Wednesday that diamonds have been
unearthed for the first time in Bulgaria.

The discovery was made by Doctor Harizan Harizanov, a lecturer at
the New Bulgarian University.

The possibility for diamond deposits nestling in Bulgaria has been
suggested before, but Harizanov is the first one to make an actual
discovery.

He told the Bulgarian News Agency that the precious stones were
discovered in the area around Kardzali, a town in Bulgaria’s far south.

The news about the rare find was broken during a crystals and minerals
expo in Pleven. More than 300 pieces are on display at the city’s
History Museum, including unique precious stones.

Visitors of the exhibition will have the chance to see an Antarctic
agate, a chunk from the Mt Ararat volcano in Armenia, as well as
mammoth tusk found in the Black Sea near the Bulgaria coast.

Dreaming of Europe
by NEVVAL SEVINDI

Zaman, Turkey
Sept 29 2004

One of the most prominent names in Ottoman Istanbul was a Jewish
doctor named Giacomo di Gaeta, who escaped from Italy’s Renaissance
intolerance, and took refuge in the empire.

In the streets of Istanbul, where Greek, Armenian, Albanian, Bulgarian
and Serbian languages were spoken, besides Turkish, Persian and Arabic,
the attitude that defied nationalism lasted for centuries.

The mutual love and respect that existed in this multinational
and multicultural empire, have not been experienced in Europe yet.
Neighbors celebrated Greek, Armenian, and Turkish festivals together,
one after the other. Istanbul was the place of religious festivals.
Furthermore, they visited each other’s churches and holy graves
together to light candles and pray, as it is today. While Dante
threw Prophet Mohammed into his “hell,” Mevlana called upon all
mankind, saying, “Come whoever you are!” He also said, “This is
not a door.of hopelessness.” When we look at an expanding Europe,
we see that Europeans still have a long way to go. Continuing to see
Western culture as the “superior culture,” in an elite manner, it is
nonetheless incumbent upon Europeans to dream of a new Europe. Along
with the different languages, religions and cultures, Islam will
enter the continent legally for the first time with the help of
Turkey. Turks coming from a culture, where nations and cultures blend
together, can bring a new understanding to the knights of the castle
and the princedoms. Is multiculturalism an ideology that the West
opposes, as Huntington said? Is it not necessary to put and end to
this “only supreme Western Christian culture” ideology of the West,
whose traces from the Middle Ages and later periods have still not
been erased? Europe, which is borderless and multicultural, resembles
a dough that can be reshaped. You can make heart-shaped cookies as
well as bastions. However, can the various cultures from neighboring
countries brought into Western culture form a multicultural world? Or
will the racist views continue, like a caricature published in the
supposedly esteemed Stern magazine? Europe has to cross-examine
itself. It did not do this during the Bosnia War; at least it must
do so while it is expanding.

If Stern can rain insults on Turks as easily as it did, then Neo-Nazis
entering the parliaments in the former East German states should be
no surprise.

Even after 50 years, the existence of strong racist roots, the rise
of neo-Nazism and the far-right indicate that Germany has not yet been
able to grasp the spirit within the EU. Please, dream of a new Europe!

If Europeans, through cross-examination, do not come to face with
their identities and the new multicultural situation in the expansion
process, then this will be left to the fascists and neo-Nazis.
Europeans and Germans, who will be living with Muslim neighbors,
should start opening up their inner senses for discussion right now.
And the Turks have to understand that the European identity is not
only about the economy. The common denominator is humanism and to
share human values.

The debate on whether or not Turkey is a model is on a naive track.
Turkey has become a model as much as it could. It has established a
lifestyle envied by Middle Eastern and Arab countries. It is not an
80-year model, but an-800-year model. Belittling this does not earn
us anything. Does it earn the West anything? For the “alternative”
is Turkey with a working model of Muslim identity. The prejudiced view
of Westerners is normal. Anyway, childish reasons such as Arabs should
not be offended, are by no means materials for books. I hope the hate
channel among nations, divided by artificial borders and antagonism
after the Ottoman rule, will not be Turkey. This is a topic that can
be better understood after reading a little bit of history.

While Europe is admitting us into its fold, it has to dream of
internalizing: A European dream. In this dream, there is love and
toleration of other cultures.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress