ARKA News Agency
July 16 2004

New German Ambassador to Armenia Haikke Renate Paich to arrive in
Yerevan in the middle of August

Photo-journalism courses to open in Caucasus Media Institute since
October 1

*********************************************************************

NEW GERMAN AMBASSADOR TO ARMENIA HAIKKE RENATE PAICH TO ARRIVE IN
YEREVAN IN THE MIDDLE OF AUGUST

YEREVAN, July 16. /ARKA/. New German Ambassador to Armenia Haikke
Renate Paich will arrive in Yerevan in the middle of August, RA NA
told ARKA with reference to German Ambassador to Armenia Hans Wolf
Bartels. The Ambassador considers it important to deepen bilateral
economic cooperation in all directions. He also expressed hope that
German businessmen will continue investments in Armenian economy.
L.D. –0–

*********************************************************************

PHOTO-JOURNALISM COURSES TO OPEN IN CAUCASUS MEDIA INSTITUTE SINCE
OCTOBER 1

YEREVAN, July 16. /ARKA/. Photo-journalism courses will open in
Caucasus Media Institute since October 1. According to CMI Director
Vigen Chiterian, two-year education program, conducted by CMI and
World Press Photo, will allow young photo-journalists directly
communicate with leading photo-reporters of the world. According to
him, WPP specialists will teach at the courses. Besides, in the end
of the courses the works of the students (photo story) will be
represented at photo-exhibition in Amsterdam.
The courses are envisaged for photo-journalists from Armenia and CIS
at the age of 17-30 years.
The cost of 9-months course makes $300.
World Press Photo is one of the most authoritative organizations in
the field of photo-journalism. It was founded in 1995 in Netherlands.
L.D. –0–

Armenianow.com
July 16, 2004

Last Stop: Armenia’s southernmost village feels isolation amid natural
beauty

By Aris Ghazinyan
ArmeniaNow correspondent

The last Armenian village before reaching Iran, Nyuvadi is buried in the
rich foliage of the Araks river valley. It is home to 45 families, and the
southernmost settlement of 13 villages in the sub region of Meghri (Syunic
Region).
Nyuvadi is connected to the center, Meghri, by a 30-kilometer road that is
little more than carved rock.

The distant village is isolated
“Despite the fact that on all the maps this section is classified as a
normal transport thruway, it actually looks more like an extreme rally quite
capable to compete with the famous Paris-Dakar route,” points out Hrachya
Harutyunyan, a veteran driver for Agarak copper-molybdenum plant. “In
different parts of Meghri region it’s still preferable to travel on pack
animals since a traveler never knows what to expect around any turn. And
besides, the road itself lies on the edge of the canyon.”
The distance between Yerevan and Nyuvadi is about 450 kilometers, about the
same as to Baku, Azerbaijan. But while it takes 7 hours to reach the capital
of Armenia, the capital of Baku can be reached in four and a half hours (via
the Iranian side).
“The road from Iran to the Azerbaijan capital runs through slightly bent
lowland,” the truck driver explains.
On the Iranian bank of the Araks, the renovated highway can be seen with
considerable traffic, especially for the region.
“There was no highway about five years ago,” Harutyunyan says. “Only a
narrow road was seen on which mainly pack animals were walking. The Turkish
population of the Easten Atropatena province of Iran is in fact the
connecting link between Nakhichevan and Baku. They built the existing road
to provide a direct land connection between the two places.”
But Nyuvadi does not enjoy such a connection with its capital.
“High passes, which reach up to 2,500 meters above sea level, make
transportation rather difficult and the average driving speed is 60 km per
hour or 1 km per minute,” says Harutyunyan. And the crossing through Tashtun
pass is not only spectacular, but challenging. The road drops (or rises) two
kilometers over a 20 kilometer stretch.
“Nowhere else in Armenia one can feel a 10cm slope per one meter of road,”
says the employee of Meghri road exploitation department Armen Vahanyan.
“The winter lasts for about 6 months at such heights, so our department
works almost without having rest. The Meghri territory is a part of Armenia’
s state highway that guarantees the connection with Iran and the trucking
industry which is of such importance to us. On average, an Iranian truck
passes over that road every sixteen minutes.”
Despite all the complex communication between Yerevan and Meghri, it wouldn’
t be a great exaggeration to say that the 30 km section that connects the
regional center with Nyuvadi is less laborious. The village enjoys
subtropical nature, where there are almost no winters and in December and
January persimmon, kiwi and pomegranate start blossoming. It is not just the
road, but nature itself that isolates Nyuvadi.
Vladimir Bayanduryan, 78, is one of the 153 residents of the village. Like
most of the residents of Nyuvadi he is a refugee from Azerbaijan.
“By some mystic coincidence the year when I was born, 1926, became an omen
of my wondering destiny,” Vladimir says. “It was in that very year that the
government of Bolshevik Azerbaijan made an administrative territorial reform
in the republic, as a result of which parts of North Karabakh populated by
Armenians in no time flat became parts of Shamkhor and Khanlar regions.
“In the same year the government of Azerbaijan refused the request of
Armenian refugees from Nakhichevan to return to their native land. So, I, an
Armenian born in Getashen, was destined to be a refugee. On April 30, 1991,
the Soviet Army and the Azerbaijani emergency platoon carried out a military
operation called ‘The Ring’ on deportation of Armenians from Getashen,
Shahumyan and Martunashen. So, and my family and I became refugees.”
Bayanduryan, twice a refugee, has been living in Nyuvadi since 1991, but is
still not used to his surroundings.

It is easier to pass along the canal than on the “road”.
“There are no living conditions,” says his son Yeghishe. “There are no roads
in the village, no shops, no irrigation water, no production, no doctors and
probably no future prospects. There’s only one phone number and one SUV for
the whole village. Wonderful natural-climatic conditions are not likely to
be able to fill in these gaps, since we’re practically unable to take out
our agricultural production to the market. Excellent persimmons and
pomegranates are rotting right in the gardens and as a result end up as
cattle food.”
However, the most irritating thing for the villagers is the attention of the
officials to their problems. Or, it is more correct to say, the absence of
any attention.
“Even the houses in which we’ve lived for more than 10 years, are not our
property,” says Vladimir Bayanduryan. “Since we have no jobs, we’re not able
to pay 60 thousand drams ($115) per square meter of the area for
privatization, as the government requires. So, the land is ours but the
houses are not.”
During Soviet times around 180 hectares of land were under cultivation.
Today only 52 hectares are cultivated.
Crops in Nyuvadi must rely on irrigation from the Araks, but villagers say
the unused cropland is not due to water supply. Simply, there is no need to
produce more than villages can consume, since transporting goods to Yerevan
is too expensive.
“It’s the time to include the residents of Nyuvadi in the Red Book of
Armenia, since this really is an endangered species,” says a math teacher
Lyuba Muradyan. “During Soviet years the number of school children reached
900. Today, all the school contingent including the 14 teachers doesn’t even
reach 45 people. That’s how we get settled in the new and, as they say in
the capital, ‘strategic’ village. While just 10s of kilometers from here in
Nakhichevan, there’s Agulis, a place where 1600 years ago the modern
Armenian alphabet was born.”
Nevertheless, today Nyuvadi – an Azeri name – is being renamed into New
Agulis. That’s the wish of the residents themselves.
Villagers say they feel a connection to their national history. And, in
fact, a connection to the history of civilization. Some say that 6,000 years
ago in this very territory, the copper age was born.
Sometimes, it seems not much has changed since.

Armenianow.com
July 16, 2004

Meghri: Armenia’s “subtropics” in search of a market

By Aris Ghazinyan ArmeniaNow correspondent
Located in the far south of the Siunic Region and bordering Iran, the
territory of Meghri is as close as Armenia gets to Mediterranean conditions.
With a significantly milder climate than the rest of the republic, the small
territory (664 square kilometers) produces fruits not found in other parts
of Armenia.
In addition to pomegranates and figs – found in lesser amounts in other
regions – Meghri also produces lemons, persimmons, almonds and, recently,
olives and kiwis.
The lower zone of Meghri is only 500 meters above sea level (compared to
Armenia’s average of 1,830 meters). The average temperature in Meghri is 14
(57 F), some three degrees Celsius warmer than the capital (51 F).

“With the proper conditions this strategically very important region could
be fully involved in the republic market,” says Hovhannes Saadyan, top
scientific officer of Yerevan State University.
About 1,000 Meghri residents work in the only stable industry, the Agarak
Copper-Molybdenum Combine. Some 5,000 live in the region’s three towns. The
rest, about 9,000, are almost all involved in subtropical farming.
But while Mother Nature has blessed the region with good growing conditions,
man-made obstacles hamper efforts to exploit potential.
Meghri faces closed borders on two sides; Azerbaijan to the east and
Azeri-held Nakhichevan to the west. With fruit-rich Iran to the south, the
only practical market for Meghri produce is in Yerevan, 420 kilometers to
the north, mostly uphill.
In Soviet times, before Nakhichevan was closed, the trip to the capital took
about three hours. Plus, the Baku-Meghri-Yerevan railroad route was a
reliable, short and inexpensive means of transport.
Today, however, a trip to Yerevan takes 7 to 8 hours by car and can be
especially difficult in winter. Transport costs have to be added to the
price of goods, adversely affecting Meghri farmers’ sales outside their
region.
In fact, it is cheaper for fruit growers who enjoy similar cultivation
conditions in West Georgia – who have the advantage of the Georgia-Armenia
railroad – to reach the Yerevan market, than those from Meghri.
“This is a very important issue as it immediately affects vital activity of
the whole region,” says Cultural Center of Meghri employee Michael Azatyan.
“Practically, there are no production units in the city and the population
has to ensure their incomes by agricultural production sales. The same also
concerns 11 villages of Meghri region where more than 4,000 people live.”
Azatyan says that unless something changes, the population will decrease, as
people will be forced to leave in search of better opportunities.
In 2000, the Government of Armenia adopted legislation aimed at reviving
Meghri. Residents say, however, that efforts have mostly remained on paper,
and even then their distinct district is included in overall plans for the
entire Siunic Region.
The legislation “doesn’t reflect the specificity of the Meghri region,” says
Meghri resident Sirun Sargsyan.
A previous initiative did, however.
In an effort to assist Meghri farmers, in 2002 the Ministry of Agriculture
of the Republic of Armenia imposed restrictions on the amount of subtropical
fruit that was imported from Georgia.
“The results were not long in coming,” Sargsyan says. “The year 2002 was
really profitable for the residents of the region.”
But the program was only carried out in that year, and, without the
restrictions, Meghri again struggles.
(According to Sirun Sargsyan, at the request of Meghri Municipality the
Ministry said they didn’t continue the program due to some reasons connected
with market relations.)

Rugged Meghri is in the region’s most populated
Meghri’s potential harvest isn’t only above ground.
On March 11 of this year, the Government of Armenia approved the sale of the
Agarak Copper-Molybdenum Plant. American company Compass Commodities will
pay $350 million for the plant, with provision that it will invest $3.5
million in the first year.
Surely the Americans see potential in Meghri’s rich earth, but, like the
region’s fruit farmers, they face considerable transport challenges.
Long before westerners discovered the ore field, the Soviets already knew
that it was not enough to simply extract the ore. So, in 1949, the railroad
conduit was built for the purpose of exporting the mineral.
“Serious investments are required for maintaining the southern ore belt of
Armenia,” says plant director Mais Khachatryan. Northern ore sources in
Alaverdi, Akhtala, Shamlugh are accessible to the Georgia-Armenia railroad,
but: “Because of the blockade, the southern ore belt found itself at a
considerable distance not only from Yerevan but also from alternative
communications.”
While ore and subtropical fruit have long been Meghri’s strong suit, it’s
very geographical location has introduced a new value of international
consequence.
In recent years the area surrounding Meghri has been the subject of debate
and speculation over a so-called “Meghri corridor”. The territory of Meghri
links Azerbaijan with Nakhichevan, but since the Karabakh War, borders have
been closed, cutting off transport between the Azeri-controlled territory
and the Republic of Azerbaijan.
Third-party negotiators have discussed Meghri as a possible deal-maker in
talks between Armenia and Azerbaijan – specifically, Armenia would give up
Meghri as part of a compromise peace agreement to settle the conflict over
Karabakh.
“Taking into account Meghri’s geopolitical position of the Southern Caucasus
it would be amazing if the question of its perspectives was not discussed
during Armenian-Azeri negotiations,” said the mayor of Meghri Misha
Hovanisyan. “However, we should realize that discussion initiated from
outside is one thing, while position of Armenian government on these
developments is another. It won’t be a mistake if I say that population of
the region for a long time has been ignoring different speculations
concerning the subject of so-called ‘territorial exchange’ introduced from
outside.”
Residents agree with the mayor, saying they do not take seriously any talk
of their homeland becoming the lynch-pin of a peace deal.
“The Araks River, which by mutual agreement are used by Armenian and Iranian
sides for the purpose of irrigation of lands, form a very deep canyon,” says
a gardener in Legvaz, Movses Asatryan. The villager says foreign diplomats
accredited in Armenia often come to admire nature and that “malicious
tongues continue to insist that the wonderful landscape is not the only
reason they visit. But we don’t pay attention to statements like that.”

Recently, even Kiwi are being grown in the “subtropical” region
“Nobody doubts that the ‘Meghri card’ was played during negotiations,” says
deputy head of Agarak municipality Martin Hovakimyan. “However, it is
regrettable that the card becomes trump in the hands of Armenian
politicians. This is a dirty game of internal policy and there shouldn’t be
continuation of that game in the future.
“Finally, the consistent spread of rumors has a negative influence on the
inflow of investments, which the Meghri region needs very much. There were
cases when possible investments into the economy of a region were frozen as
a result of consistent spreading of rumors like that.”
The mayor of Meghri reminds that for nearly a century, Meghri has been the
focus of dispute over who has legitimate ownership.
“Since the signing of the Russian-Turkish agreement in Moscow on March 16,
1921 between Bolsheviks and Kemalists, as a result of which Nakhichevan,
among other things, was separated from Armenia, Ankara and Baku have often
been laying claims to Meghri and Siunic in whole,” Hovannisyan says. “So the
population of the region has already become immune to ignoring such
projects. C onsequently, the matter depends on businessman because if any
region is geographically farther from the Armenian center then the center
must be economically closer to it.”
Plant manager Mais Khachatryan believes “it is necessary to give offshore
zone status to the region.”
Such a status would be incentive for investors to start small business in a
tax-free zone.
“The year 2002 demonstrated that in case of proper economic policy towards
Meghri it is possible to achieve many successes,” says Sargsyan. But in
conditions favoring an open economy, Meghri loses.
And such conditions, Sargsyan and others here believe “can destroy the
structure of the local economy, in which the absolute majority of the region
‘s population is involved.”
And many here, holding on to the tip of Armenia with unfriendly neighbors on
two sides, believe any weakening of Meghri would be a big strategic mistake.

Armenianow.com
July 16, 2004

Sound for Sight: Armenian computer program opens doors for visually impaired

By Julia Hakobyan ArmeniaNow reporter
Recently Hayk Papikyan has developed a passion for his computer, scanner and
a program called “AREV” and is eager to show off the way by which the
combination of the three are making his life more enjoyable.
“Look here,” he says carefully grouping the keys. “I am scanning the page of
the book, then launch AREV and that’s it. It reads for me.”

Hayk Papikyan and his tools for “seeing”.
AREV is a recently developed, unprecedented audio program in Armenian
language for the visually impaired. The brainchild of scientists of the
Yerevan Computer Research and Development Institute (YCRDI), the program
allows the blind to use Armenian websites, communicate via e-mail or listen
to books or other information written in Microsoft Word.
Hayk, age 22, is one of 18 who completed AREV lessons organized by the
YCRDI. He lost his sight when he was 14, after complications with influenza.
Despite the unexpected problems, he strongly decided to continue his
education.
Hayk moved from the ninth grade of his school to a Yerevan boarding school
for blind children, where he learned the Braille system. Upon finishing
school he successfully passed three university exams and now he is at the
second course of the history faculty at Yerevan State University.
Hayk writes down the lessons in a Braille notebook or records them on tape
recorder.
But apart from learning those lessons he needs to become familiar with more
extensive literature, including the classics and professional literature.
His mother has been helping him, by reading literature and university books
for him.
But since completing a course in how use AREV last week he has pinned great
hopes on the AREV program’s use in helping him finish his degree
“The AREV system tremendously helps me with my university homework,” he
says. “I don’t need my mother to read books or lectures as I scan them and
hear a reading. Besides, I can type the essays and then hear what I wrote
and edit it.”
Arman Kuchukyan, creator of AREV and the Technical Director of the YCRDI
says that it took two and a half years for his group to develope the
program. Kuchukyan says he does not diminish the value of Braille system. He
says it has been a perfect aide, but it now outdated.
“Only few books are available in Braille in Armenian or in Russia. It is
unfair that blind people were deprived of an opportunity of reading other
books. The systems like AREV are available in West for a long time, and I am
happy that we managed to make the similar program for Armenians,” he says.
Kuchukyan, 73, has worked at the YCRDI for 51 years and says that AREV is
one of the institute’s best achievements. He is inspired by AREV, but is
unsure about its future.
“We organized the computer lessons for the blind people free of charge and
gave AREV programs also free of charge to those few who had computers at
home. What about those who do not have computers? They will forget soon what
they learned,” he says.
Kuchukyan applied to the Parliament asking to assist in providing computers
the school graduators.

Kuchukyan says a lot of Armenians can benefit from the program.
“Annually there are about 20-25 graduates of the boarding school for blind
children,” he says. “So many people can help those young ones by giving them
computers which were in use. Imagine, how the life of a young person will
change if he gets a computer, so many opportunities will be available for
them.”
But Kuchukyan’s good intentions were not favorably met by government.
We did not get a single dram from the government for this program,”
Kuchukyan says. “Eight people worked hard on the program to install about
10,000 Armenian sounds into the program. AREV is not perfect and we need
sponsorship to continue our research on its improvement, but all our efforts
will be in vain if people for whom we develop the program will not have
chance to take advantage on it for the simple reason of a lack of
computers.”
The All Armenian Fund “Hayastan” has allocated six computers to the boarding
school for the blind children N 14 and AREV program was installed in those
and other computers there.
“About three years ago scientists from the YCRDI came to our school and
asked if children need the program which will read the Armenian fonts,” says
Alexan Aharonyan, the director of the school. “Of course we said ‘yes, we
need it urgently’, because the government does not sponsor the production of
the Braille books, and each time when we want to issue the book we apply to
the Armenian Society for blind people. Besides Braille books have a short
life and it is hard to read when it is not new.”
Currently there are 120 students studying at the school from grades 1-11. It
is the only school of its kind in Armenia, except for the school for the
children with poor eyesight. In all there are 4,000 blind people in Armenia
and most of them are involved in production of electronic houseware.
Hayk Papikyan who completed massage courses at the boarding school says that
before entering university he tried to find a job of a masseur, but he could
not find any vacancy.
The education that the blind people get at the school is not enough to find
a job,” he says. “For others it is hard to continue education at the
university. I hope that AREV will open many doors for many people who will
have a chance to get education by correspondence, to meet in chat rooms, to
get letters by e-mail and read them without anyone’s help. In other words to
escape the limits we have by getting more privacy and self-dependency.”

Armenianow.com
July 16, 2004

Cool Relief: Armenian summer melts under 14 factories of ice cream

By Gayane Abrahamyan
ArmeniaNow reporter
With temperatures rising toward the dreaded 40-degree (104 Fahrenheit) mark
of recent summers, Armenians look for relief from a source once only dreamed
of: Real ice cream.
In the hard years of 1988-93, mothers tried to pacify children with
home-made versions of ice cream that rarely came close to the real thing.

14 companies produce “baghbaghak” in Armenia.
“I have a special notebook where all my ice cream recipes are written, but
however hard I tried still my children were saying it doesn’t taste like the
ice cream in stores,” says Nazeni Mkrtumyan, a housewife.
Today, however, 14 companies produce ice cream in Armenia.
“In summer, about 40 percent of our daily income comes from selling ice
cream, and Tamara and Ashtarak Kat are selling the best,” says the manager
of Milena store Artur Minasyan.
Tamara, in 1992, was the first company to start producing ice cream after
independence, but its quality was far from today’s standards. (During Soviet
times there were three-four types of ice cream in Armenia, but none as good
as today’s quality).
In 1995 Ashtarak Kat entered the market, followed by the rest that today
offer an unimagined paradise of cold sweets.
All the selection of ice cream producing companies in Armenia was thoroughly
studied by Anna National Association of Consumers in 2003. According to the
president of the association Melita Hakobyan, the research that lasted 6
months included a market study, monitoring, sociological poll carried out
among 1,000 people, tests done in 4 laboratories and tasting by an 11-member
panel of specialists.
The poll found that about 40 percent of consumers prefer Ashtarak Kat; 30
percent, Tamara; about 20-25 percent favor Shant, while the other 11
companies (ASA, Grand Candy, Yerevan Penguin and others) get only seven
percent of the market.
“Our next most important step was laboratory tests which were carried out at
3 laboratories accredited by the RA Accreditation Council and at one
inspection laboratory which has all the modern facilities and which we
trust,” says Hakobyan.
After laboratory tests, tasting and visits to plants the committee gave 98
points (on a 100 scale) to Ashtarak Kat, 94 to Shant, 82 to Shant, 81 to
Grand Candy. The rest did not score 80 points, which means they fall below
acceptable standards
Samples of different ice creams were taken from the city’s different
communities. In the center 85 percent of ice cream corresponded to its
expiration date. In the suburbs, however, 25 percent of ice cream was found
to violate health standards (such as being kept with other food products, or
stored above accepted temperatures).

Some companies weren’t happy with Hakobyan’s assessment of their product.
Often, in order to save electricity, sellers turn off refrigerators during
the night. But according to specialists, re-freezing ice cream can create
bacteria that lead to illness.
Hakobyan, herself, became a victim of bad ice cream during the testing.
“I was getting treatment for a month, feeling for myself the situation of
over 100 consumers who applied to us with complaints; who have had various
poisonings and diseases because of bad quality ice cream,” she says.
Besides suffering health damage as a result of these tests, president of the
association Hakobyan, also suffered moral and psychological pressure. After
several TV programs during which together with members of the committee,
Melita Hakobyan presented results of the research, she was receiving many
threatening phone calls.
“They (ice cream companies) would call a lot and say ‘We’ll destroy you, we’
re coming now with our guns’ and so on, and I was telling them not to
bother, that I shall go to them myself, I have nothing to be afraid of, I
only now that there’s a product that is a threat to people’s health and I
consider it my duty to warn the consumer about it,” assures Hakobyan.
Together with Armenian ice cream producing companies today, there’s also the
ice cream of Algida company. According to the manager of importing company
Cleopatra Anahit Dervishyan, this kind of ice cream is not a competitor to
the local production.
“Of course, I’m not saying that Algida is so good that they cannot compete
with it, our local ones are very good, too, but Algida has totally different
taste peculiarities and is made with other technology and raw material,”
says Dervishyan.

>From the freezer to the waistline?
Algida is produced in 150 countries, but is imported into Armenia from
Trabzon, Turkey.
This brand of ice cream was also tested by the National Association of
Consumers. Unlike the local brands, Algida is the only one with packaging
that fully corresponds to the law, by listing in detail the ingredients.
Among the ingredients are preservatives not found in the local product. If
local ice creams can be kept from 4 to 5 months, Algida can be kept a year
and a half.
Prices of Armenian-produced ice cream bars range from 50 drams (about 10
cents) to 450 (about 90 cents).
According to saleswoman Naira Muradyan most of her customers prefer local
ice cream. According to her, children who often don’t have a lot of money
buy cheaper ice cream, like ASA, or Grand Candy, and the adults mainly buy
Ashtarak Kat or Tamara.
“It has often happened that a child asked the parent to buy Algida but the
parent refused, saying that it’s Turkish,” says Muradyan. “But it’s not the
child’s fault, it really is very tasty, but not as good as our Tamara,”
continues the young saleswoman jokingly and enjoys the cold ice cream
covered with chocolate.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

[Congressional Record: July 15, 2004 (House)]
[Page H5797-H5801]
>From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:cr15jy04-79]

PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 4818, FOREIGN OPERATIONS, EXPORT
FINANCING, AND RELATED PROGRAMS APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2005

Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the
Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 715 and ask for its
immediate consideration.
The Clerk read the resolution, as follows:

H. Res. 715

Resolved, That at any time after the adoption of this
resolution the Speaker may, pursuant to clause 2(b) of rule
XVIII, declare the House resolved into the Committee of the
Whole House on the state of the Union for consideration of
the bill (H.R. 4818) making appropriations for foreign
operations, export financing, and related programs for the
fiscal year ending September 30, 2005, and for other
purposes. The first reading of the bill shall be dispensed
with. All points of order against consideration of the bill
are waived. General debate shall be confined to the bill and
shall not exceed one hour equally divided and controlled by
the chairman and ranking minority member of the Committee on
Appropriations. After general debate the bill shall be
considered for amendment under the five-minute rule. Points
of order against provisions in the bill for failure to comply
with clause 2 of rule XXI are waived except: beginning with
the semicolon in section 565(a)(2) through “501)” in
section 565(a)(3). Where points of order are waived against
part of a section, points of order against a provision in
another part of such section may be made only against such
provision and not against the entire section. During
consideration of the bill for amendment, the Chairman of the
Committee of the Whole may accord priority in recognition on
the basis of whether the Member offering an amendment has
caused it to be printed in the portion of the Congressional
Record designated for that purpose in clause 8 of rule XVIII.
Amendments so printed shall be considered as read. At the
conclusion of consideration of the bill for amendment the
Committee shall rise and report the bill to the House with
such amendments as may have been adopted. The previous
question shall be considered as ordered on the bill and
amendments thereto to final passage without intervening
motion except one motion to recommit with or without
instructions.

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Florida (Mr. Lincoln
Diaz-Balart of Florida) is recognized for 1 hour.
Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Speaker, for the purpose of
debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentleman from
Texas (Mr. Frost), the ranking member of the Committee on Rules,
pending which I yield myself such time as I may consume. During
consideration of this resolution, all time yielded is for the purpose
of debate only.
(Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART asked and was given permission to revise and
extend his remarks.)
Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 715 is an open
rule that provides for the consideration of H.R. 4818, the Fiscal Year
2005 Foreign Operations, Export Financing, and Related Programs
Appropriations bill. The rule provides 1 hour of general debate, evenly
divided and controlled by the chairman and ranking minority member of
the Committee on Appropriations. The rule also provides one motion to
recommit, with or without instructions.
I would like to take a moment to reiterate that we bring this rule
forward in totally open fashion. Historically, appropriations
legislation has come to the House governed by an open rule, and we
continue to do so in order to allow each and every Member of this House
the opportunity to submit amendments for consideration, obviously as
long as they are germane under the rules of the House.

[[Page H5798]]

This legislation before us appropriates over $19 billion for
operations across the globe. This bill is fiscally sound, while at the
same time compassionate and responsive to needs of millions of people
plagued by disease, famine and disaster.
H.R. 4818 bolsters the President’s Millennium Challenge Corporation
to $1.25 billion, nearly a quarter of a billion dollars more than in
fiscal year 2004. This expansion of foreign assistance is meant to help
bring economic security, basic tenets of democracy and the rule of law
to some of the world’s poorest.
In May of this year, the Corporation began the first round of funding
assistance by extending aid to 16 developing countries chosen from a
total of 63 eligible nations. Each country that will receive this new
funding is obligated to meet benchmarks for political, economic and
social development, especially in transparency and anti-corruption
efforts. Never before has the United States concentrated aid grants to
countries that have the capability for reform in this fashion. This
program is really, I think, the future of U.S. foreign assistance and a
most effective means to responsibly disseminate U.S. taxpayer money in
the foreign area.
The underlying legislation provides $2.2 billion to combat HIV/AIDS,
tuberculosis and malaria. Combined with anticipated funding in the
Labor-HHS bill, Congress will commit to fulfill President Bush’s
commitment to 14 countries on the African continent and the Caribbean
by appropriating $2.8 billion. This continues the important mission to
provide the training and technical assistance to private and voluntary
organizations that work to eradicate that nightmarish disease.
The United States already has a proven record on HIV/AIDS assistance,
but this year’s funding will go far beyond previous obligations. In a
speech given yesterday, U.S. AIDS Coordinator Randall Tobias remarked
on the $2.4 billion that this Congress provided in fiscal year 2004. He
said, “This year, America is spending nearly twice as much to fight
global AIDS as the rest of the world’s donor governments combined.”
Our resolve to help all those across the globe who fight this disease
is strong and serious. In addition to funding, the Federal Government
enlists the expertise of various agencies, including the Food and Drug
Administration, which assures that the medicines we send to Africa and
the Caribbean are safe and effective to help those with HIV/AIDS.
Mr. Speaker, the underlying legislation also provides $2.2 billion
for military and economic assistance to Israel. I think we have to
continue to ensure that our friends and allies remain secure. A strong
Israel is necessary, not only for the region, but obviously we are
committed to do everything we can to see that Israel is safe and secure
within its boundaries.
I would like to thank the gentleman from Florida (Chairman Young) and
the gentleman from Arizona (Chairman Kolbe) for their leadership on
this important issue. I urge all of my colleagues to support both this
rule and the underlying legislation.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
(Mr. FROST asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me the
customary 30 minutes.
Mr. Speaker, the United States has always fought for a peaceful,
democratic and stable world, and now, more than ever, such a world is
in our highest national interest. While the United States and her
allies are making progress in the war on terror, Congress must remain
committed to the ideals of peace and democracy and must do whatever it
takes to maintain security here at home and elsewhere.
That is why today, Mr. Speaker, I have come to the floor in support
of H.R. 4818, the Foreign Operations Appropriations Act. Along with
defense and diplomacy, foreign assistance remains one of the strongest
tools we have to ensure that the world is safe for peace and democracy.
The bill before us today helps ensure that the United States is
successful in this mission by providing $19.4 billion for our foreign
policy priorities. Among its major provisions, the bill contains
significant funding for pressing needs in the war on terror, such as
the reconstruction of Afghanistan, and significantly increases funding
for HIV/AIDS programs in the Millennium Challenge Corporation.
The bill also provides significant aid to Israel. Specifically, the
bill provides Israel with $360 million in economic assistance and $2.2
billion in military assistance. Israel has always been a good friend
and strong ally of the United States. She shares our common values of
peace and democracy, and she continues to struggle to win the war
against terror for the protection of her own people, as we do.
America’s friendship with Israel has never been more important, and I
am pleased we can provide our friend and ally with this aid as we
continue the joint struggle to achieve peace and freedom in the Middle
East.
Today we will consider the foreign operations bill under an open
rule, which I support. However, four Members came to the Committee on
Rules yesterday with important amendments that required waivers in
order to be considered today and which I believe deserve serious
consideration by this House. Unfortunately, not one of these four
amendments was granted waivers. Each was defeated on a party line vote.
The gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Lowey) and the gentlewoman from
New York (Mrs. Maloney) brought important amendments dealing with
women’s health; the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lee) brought an
amendment designating an additional $800 million in emergency aid for
the global fund to fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria; and the
gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos) brought an amendment to help
secure peace in the Middle East by transferring $325 million in aid for
the Egyptian military into economic assistance that will improve the
quality of life for the Egyptian people. The Lantos amendment, which we
attempted to protect from a point of order, was not given an order.
In recent months, Egypt has embarked on a major military buildup that
may disrupt our efforts to bring peace to the region. It is my
understanding that the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos) may offer
a modified version of his amendment which will not need a waiver today
during debate on the bill.
Although I am disappointed that four amendments were not protected, I
am pleased that this bill is being considered under an open rule, and I
plan on voting in its favor, as I do the bill. I urge my colleagues to
do the same.
Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the
balance of my time.
Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from
Massachusetts (Mr. McGovern), a member of the Committee on Rules.
Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for yielding me the
time.
Mr. Speaker, I would first like to express my appreciation to the
gentleman from Arizona (Chairman Kolbe) and the ranking member, the
gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Lowey), for crafting a foreign aid bill
that attempts to balance competing priorities for economic development
and security funding. In particular, I would like to express my support
for the $400 million provided for basic education.
Over the past 3 years, increased funding levels for basic education
has made it possible for USAID to expand its education programs from 20
to 43 countries. These increases have also had positive effects on
other U.S. development priorities, such as preventing HIV/AIDS and
promoting agricultural development and maternal and child health. It is
my hope that over the next couple of years Congress will increase
funding for basic education to $1 billion annually. I believe this is
the kind of leadership and funding America must demonstrate to achieve
universal education by the year 2015. I look forward to working with
the gentleman from Arizona (Chairman Kolbe) and the ranking member, the
gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Lowey), in achieving this goal.
I would also like to touch upon one other priority in this bill that
continues to trouble me deeply, U.S. policy and aid for Columbia.
Yesterday, a

[[Page H5799]]

representative from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
described the dire situation of the internally displaced inside
Colombia and the increasing number of Colombian refugees fleeing to
neighboring Ecuador, Venezuela and Panama.
I have traveled to Colombia on three occasions over the past 4 years,
and each time I have visited communities of the displaced. By most
estimates, there are around 3 million internally displaced Colombians,
mainly women, children and elderly. This bill makes $5 million
available to help displaced Colombians, or approximately $1.66 for each
displaced person. This hardly seems adequate to me.
Mr. Speaker, I have traveled to nearly every region in Colombia, and
everywhere I go, Colombians of all political viewpoints, including
mayors and governors, plead for funds to support community-based
programs to generate income, provide basic healthcare, education and
nutrition, and to bring some measure of economic stability and security
to their towns and villages.
Now, I do not mean to imply that none of these funds in this bill
will serve these purposes, but we all know that precious little of U.S.
aid is allocated for these types of programs in Colombia, especially
when weighed against the need. The simple fact remains that the
majority of U.S. funding for Colombia is military and security
assistance for counterinsurgency and counternarcotics programs.
Over the past 3 years, along with my distinguished colleague, the
ranking member of the Committee on Armed Services, the gentleman from
Missouri (Mr. Skelton), I have offered amendments to cut military aid
for Colombia, but the Committee on Rules refuses to consider amendments
on their merit and grant some waivers for amendments to appropriations
bills so that key foreign policy issues can be more fully explored and
debated.
For example, the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Skelton) and I have
never been able to offer an amendment to the foreign operations bill
that reflects what many of my House colleagues believe would be a
better set of priorities for the hundreds of millions of dollars we
send down to Colombia each year; or an amendment that would condition
U.S. funding for Colombia’s agreement with the paramilitaries to an
assurance that paramilitaries with outstanding U.S. extradition
warrants will serve prison time in the U.S. or Colombia.
I cannot offer an amendment conditioning U.S. funding to ensure that
the land paramilitaries took by violence be restored to the original
inhabitants, who are now destitute and desperate displaced people or
refugees.
So I sympathize with my colleague, the gentleman from California (Mr.
Lantos), and the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Lowey), each of whom
went before the Committee on Rules the other evening and were denied
waivers to debate their important amendments.

{time} 1100

We all know that foreign aid authorizing bills come out very rarely
and, frankly, the aid for Colombia has never been authorized. It has
always been presented to Congress in supplemental spending bills and
the Foreign Operations and Defense appropriations bills and hardly ever
has a designated line item in the bill. Over $3 billion has gone to
Colombia since Plan Colombia was launched, all with very little debate
and, in some instances, no debate.
Mr. Speaker, in the future, I hope that the leadership of this House
will allow Members to have a more comprehensive debate on whether and
how to shape our new and different priorities for the military,
security, and economic assistance we are sending to Colombia. I, for
one, look forward to that day.
Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Speaker, before yielding to
the distinguished chairman of the subcommittee, I yield myself such
time as I may consume to say that with regard to the issue of the
displaced people in Colombia, it is an extraordinary human tragedy, and
the reason that there are displaced people in Colombia is because of
the terrorists. What this bill is trying to do, and it does in a very
important way, is to help the democratically elected government of
Colombia fight the terrorists.
Also, there is aid for refugees in this legislation. I know the
people of Colombia are very grateful for it. I had the privilege of
visiting them some months back. But obviously, it is not only in the
interest of Colombia, but of the United States, to defeat the
terrorists, the cause of the displacement of hundreds of thousands of
innocent people in Colombia; and we do not lose sight of that. Neither
does, obviously, the government of Colombia, because the people there
are suffering at the hands of those brutal murderers that are being
fought day in and day out by the Colombian people; and, obviously, the
American people, through this Congress, are helping the Colombian
people fight those terrorists.
Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentleman from
Arizona (Mr. Kolbe), the chairman of the subcommittee.
Mr. KOLBE. Mr. Speaker, I rise to say that I think this is a good
rule, it is an open rule, it is a fair rule. I think it is one in which
we can carry on a good, healthy debate about foreign policy and our
foreign assistance programs, and I hope this body will support it and
we can do it quickly and hopefully get on to consideration of the bill
very soon.
Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentlewoman from New
York (Mrs. Lowey).
Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise to support the rule, but I rise to
express my disappointment with this rule.
On a party-line vote, the Committee on Rules refused to make my
amendment in order to provide funding on a limited basis to the United
Nations Population Fund. I requested that it be made in order so that
the full House would have the opportunity to discuss this matter of
grave importance, not only to the poorest women and their families, but
also to United States national security. Unfortunately, we are being
denied the opportunity to debate this issue.
Many of my colleagues think they have voted on this issue before.
However, the debate we could have had today would have been different
from those of the last 3 years.
To begin with, this amendment would have maintained the Kemp-Kasten
restrictions in the bill in their original form. As many of my
colleagues know, these restrictions prohibit funding to any
organization that supports coercive abortion and sterilization.
The amendment would have provided funding for UNFPA in only six
countries, all of which are strategically important to United States
national security: Iraq, Afghanistan, Jordan, Pakistan, Kenya, and
Tanzania. If UNFPA is found to be supporting coercive practices in any
of these countries, the amendment would have prohibited funding for the
UNFPA program in that country.
The amendment would have maintained prohibitions on funding for the
UNFPA in China and would have restored a prohibition included in
previous Foreign Operations bills that requires a reduction in U.S.
funds to UNFPA programs for every dollar spent by UNFPA in a country
which is alleged to support coercive practices. Currently, China is the
only such country.
Essentially, my amendment would have asked a very simple question:
Should we let concerns about UNFPA’s programs in one country, China,
stop the United States from investing in a proven, multilateral program
that could, in fact, reap benefits for United States national security?
By improving the health of women and their children, reducing the
rate of maternal deaths, and preventing the transmission of HIV/AIDS,
UNFPA chips away at the demographic trends and public health disasters
that threaten the stability of the world’s poorest nations. As we all
know, achieving global stability is a primary United States foreign
policy goal. I am really disappointed that we will not have the
opportunity to debate it today.
I am also displeased that the rule did not grant waivers to other
Democratic amendments. One such amendment proposed by the gentlewoman
from California (Ms. Lee) would have provided an additional $800
million in emergency funding to the Global Fund to fight AIDS, TB, and
malaria. While we have provided $400 million in the bill for the Global
Fund, an amendment equal to last year’s bill and $300

[[Page H5800]]

million above the President’s request, the Global Fund will require
much more in order to meet current and future commitments. It is
unfortunate, I say to my colleagues, that we will not be able to vote
on this sound policy initiative today.
Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as
he may consume to the gentleman from California (Mr. Dreier), the
chairman of the Committee on Rules.
(Mr. DREIER asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this rule. It
is, as the distinguished chairman of the Subcommittee on Foreign
Operations stated, an open rule, which allows for any germane amendment
to be considered.
I see my friend, the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos) here, and
I would like to say that he knows very well that we tried very much to
work with him to accommodate his desire to have an amendment as it
relates to our policy towards Egypt; and I know that under this open
amendment process, he is going to be able to offer an amendment that is
different than the one he had intended to offer. But, as has
traditionally been the case, we have provided protection for the bill
as it has been reported out of the Committee on Appropriations, and
then provided for an open amendment process not moving into this extra
area of providing waivers for the amendments that the distinguished
ranking minority member of the subcommittee mentioned.
So I believe that the opportunity for a very fair and open and
rigorous, and I know it will be a somewhat lengthy, debate, to the
consternation of a few of my colleagues here, it will take place; and I
think it is very important.
Mr. Speaker, I remember very vividly when the President of the United
States stood in his State of the Union message and talked about the
need for us to ensure very important support for a number of
initiatives. HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis, malaria, all very important
programs that are funded in this appropriations bill.
I had the privilege of going last year to Africa and I met with
leaders in west and north Africa; and the Millennium Challenge Account
is a very important thing, providing an incentive for those nations as
they move and take bolder steps towards political pluralism and the
rule of law and free and fair elections, and all of the structures that
follow that. And the Millennium Challenge Account, I believe, is a very
important tool as we continue to encourage that kind of development and
growth on the very important continent of Africa.
I also want to say that as we focus on HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and
malaria and the issue of the Millennium Challenge Account, to me, Mr.
Speaker, there is nothing more important in this bill than the
important items that focus on the global war on terror.
There are many people who are often hypercritical of the foreign
assistance packages that come out of the United States Congress. We all
know that it is a fraction of the overall Federal expenditures. But now
it is, in many ways, even more important for us to focus on important
foreign assistance. Why? Because since September 11 of 2001, we all
know that our world here as Americans changed. The rest of the world
dealt with terrorist attacks on a regular basis, but we know that
September 11 clearly changed our world here. And that is why I believe
it very important that we do everything that we possibly can to
continue to provide strong assistance to our allies and those who are
standing up to the global war on terror. And we know that there are
many people who are part of that, many nations are part of that, the
coalition is strong and growing; and I believe that this legislation
that we are going to consider will go a long way towards building that
very important support.
So I congratulate both the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Kolbe) and the
gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Lowey) for the hard work that they have
put into this important legislation; and I thank my colleague, the
gentleman from Florida (Mr. Lincoln Diaz-Balart) who, as a Cuban
American, understands how important it is for us as a Nation to do what
we can to encourage political pluralism, democratization, free and fair
elections, the rule of law, and all of those institutions which we all
hope one day the people of Cuba will be able to enjoy.
Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from
California (Mr. Lantos).
Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my friend, the gentleman
from Texas, for yielding me this time.
First, I want to pay tribute to the bipartisan leadership of this
very important subcommittee of the Congress. They have done a great
job, and I want to commend them. I also want to thank the scores of my
colleagues on the Republican and Democratic sides who have seen the
wisdom of an amendment I will propose which will represent a
fundamental change in U.S. foreign policy with respect to the Middle
East. It is an amendment, the prime beneficiaries of which are the
Egyptian people. I will explain.
I am proposing to shift one-quarter of the military aid we are
providing on automatic pilot to Egypt and shift that dollar-for-dollar
for economic aid, for education, health programs, democracy-building,
free media.
Egypt is fortunate enough to have no military threat aimed at it.
There are three neighbors Egypt has: the Sudan, which certainly is no
military threat to Egypt; Israel, which has peace with Egypt; and
Libya, which has just surrendered to the United States all of its
weapons of mass destruction. Egypt is one of the most fortunate nations
on the face of this planet in terms of its security situation. It has
no threat against it.
Yet, year after year, as if we were on automatic pilot, we are
providing the Egyptian military with high-tech equipment amounting to
$1.3 billion. It is one of the worst expenditures of our foreign aid
program.
My measure will shift one-quarter of that military aid to economic
and social aid. Egypt will lose not one thin dime, but the Egyptian
people will gain an enormous amount in their effort to enter the 21st
century.
I would like to suggest that this amendment, $325 million in military
aid, traded for $325 million in economic aid, may be subject to a point
of order. It is the absurdity of our system that if that point of order
is sustained, I will be forced to offer an amendment shifting a larger
amount, which will not be subject to a point of order.
So I want all of my colleagues to clearly understand that my initial
intent is to propose a shift of $325 million. That is all I wish to
achieve. However, if I am blocked by parliamentary maneuvers from
accomplishing this, I will be compelled to shift a larger amount, which
I am sure the vast majority of my colleagues on the Republican and the
Democratic side will support.
Egypt desperately needs economic assistance. Per capita income in
Egypt is less than $1,000. The majority of Egyptian women over the age
of 15 are illiterate. The last thing this society needs is the ultimate
in high-tech weapons in a security situation which is safe, which is
unassailable. There is no threat to Egypt.

{time} 1115

It would be the ultimate of irresponsibility for us to continue
following the path of recent years and automatically appropriate $1.3
billion in military assistance to Egypt.
I will urge at the appropriate time all of my colleagues to support
my amendment. This amendment has the support of civil society in Egypt.
High-ranking members of the Egyptian parliament have advised me that
they are hoping and praying that this amendment will pass because it
will provide a major boost to economic and social development by the
Egyptian people.
I want to thank my colleague for yielding me time.
Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Speaker, we reserve the
balance of our time.
Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from New
York (Mrs. Maloney).
Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me time
and for his leadership on so many issues.
Mr. Speaker, I am disappointed that the Committee on Rules did not
accept an extremely important amendment that I had hoped to offer
today. I went to the committee because the issue of funding the United
Nations Population

[[Page H5801]]

Fund is essential to the health and well-being of millions of women
around the world. Women are dying, and the U.S. has turned its back on
them.
I offered an amendment that would have ensured that the money in this
bill will go to UNFPA and go to help young women and girls who are
suffering from obstetric fistula, a terrible condition that occurs
during prolonged labor and leaves the women leaking urine for life.
Unfortunately, on a party line vote, the Committee on Rules voted not
to protect my amendment.
I assure my colleagues that I have made every effort to compromise on
this issue and to break this logjam.
In April of this year, I wrote a letter to the President, signed by
many of my colleagues, asking him to put aside our differences and
reach a compromise that would help millions of women and girls around
the world by funding UNFPA’s work on obstetric fistula. Sadly, I
received a response ignoring the facts.
Mr. Speaker, women are dying around the world, and this body can do
something about it. It is time that we did.
Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from
Michigan (Ms. Kilpatrick).
Ms. KILPATRICK. Mr. Speaker, I first want to commend the gentleman
from Arizona (Mr. Kolbe), my chairman, and the gentlewoman from New
York (Mrs. Lowey), our ranking member, for the fine job they have done
on this bill. It is not a perfect bill, but it is a bill that we can
live with and work for. There is much distress around the world, and
this bill begins to address some of that.
I, too, am a little upset about a part of the rule that did not allow
for some very serious debate, as well as some help, for the children
and the women who live around this world who need attention that this
bill, unfortunately, because of our limited means, is unable to
address.
I do commend the rule for continuing the process and that we fund
Haiti and begin to help that Western hemisphere’s poorest country to
begin to get back to normal.
Also, the Sudan, as my colleagues know now, in the Darfur region of
the Sudan, genocide is taking place, and this bill begins to address
that, but I wish and hope that we will withhold our money to Sudan
until they, the leadership in Khartoum, addresses the Darfur problem.
It is unfortunate, and I hope that we move forward in that regard.
HIV/AIDS is a pandemic in the world. In just completing the World
Conference in Thailand, we heard many, many stories about it and what
is happening in the world. Africa, Asia, the former Soviet Union,
India, it is a pandemic that must be addressed. This bill offers $2.5
billion for that, the largest we have ever appropriated. We wish we
could do more. It is unfortunate that one of the amendments offering
$800 million more is not going to be able to be offered today, but
overall, it is a good bill, not a perfect bill. We must do more to help
our neighbors around the world.
Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from New
Jersey (Mr. Pallone).
Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commend the Subcommittee on
Foreign Operations, Export Financing and Related Programs, the
gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Kolbe), the chairman, and the gentlewoman
from New York (Mrs. Lowey), the ranking member for their support and
leadership in ensuring funding for Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh. I want
to particularly thank the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Knollenberg), my
co-chair of the Armenia Caucus, for all that he did in the
subcommittee.
Through their support, $65 million was allocated to Armenia in
economic assistance, and an additional $5 million was allocated in
military assistance and $5 million was secured for assistance to
Nagorno-Karabakh. I am pleased with these levels of aid, and I would
like to reiterate my steadfast support for maintaining these levels as
we go to conference.
I am particularly pleased with the fact that parity was restored in
the levels of military aid given to Azerbaijan and Armenia. When the
Bush administration’s budget was released, I was quite troubled that
the FMF request for Azerbaijan was four times as high as the request
for Armenia. This imbalance simply could not be allowed. When the
President waived section 907 of the Freedom Support Act in the
aftermath of 9/11, a commitment was made by the Bush administration of
parity in any military aid to Armenia and Azerbaijan. Because
Azerbaijan continues to blockade Armenia and also has threatened
Armenia militarily, it is more important than ever to maintain parity
in military aid between the two Nations.
Additionally, it is essential that the people of Nagorno-Karabakh
receive the aid and assistance that they need.
I support the language directing the USAID to spend $5 million in
fiscal year 2005 for programs in Nagorno-Karabakh. This support is in
our country’s interests and will help alleviate the conditions of the
people there.
Lastly, I would like to thank again the subcommittee for maintaining
a high level of economic assistance to Armenia in order for the country
to overcome the dual blockade by Azerbaijan and Turkey, which continues
to impede Armenia’s economic well-being. Despite the dual blockades by
Azerbaijan and Turkey, Armenia continues to implement economic and
democratic reforms, which have met with considerable success. While
Armenia continues to make important reforms, as long as Armenia suffers
from blockades on its east and west borders, continued and robust U.S.
assistance is necessary to help minimize their impact.
I want to thank the subcommittee again.
Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I would advise the gentleman from Florida
that we have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance
of our time and urge adoption of the rule.
Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such
time as I may consume.
I thank all of our colleagues who have come to the floor to debate
this important rule. This measure before us that we bring to the floor
is extraordinarily important and should be supported by the
overwhelming majority of our colleagues today.
I particularly am proud of the leadership that the President has
provided and really the congressional leadership has also joined in to
create an unprecedented assistance program to fight HIV/AIDS in the
world. I think we all have to be very proud of that, and it is a very
significant part of the legislation that we bring forward with this
rule today.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time, and I move the
previous question on the resolution.
The previous question was ordered.
The resolution was agreed to.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

[Congressional Record: July 15, 2004 (House)]
[Page H5875-H5895]
>From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:cr15jy04-92]

FOREIGN OPERATIONS, EXPORT FINANCING, AND RELATED PROGRAMS
APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2005

Amendment Offered by Mr. Schiff

Mr. SCHIFF. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.
The CHAIRMAN. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
The text of the amendment is as follows:

Amendment offered by Mr. Schiff:
At the end of the bill (before the short title), insert
the following:

prohibition on use of funds for certain purposes

Sec. 576. None of the funds made available in this Act may
be used by the Government of Turkey to engage in
contravention of section 1913 of title 18, United States
Code, (relating to lobbying with appropriated moneys), with
respect to H. Res. 193, Reaffirming support of the Convention
on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide and
anticipating the 15th anniversary of the enactment of the
Genocide Convention Implementation Act of 1987 (the Proxmire
Act) on November 4, 2003.

The CHAIRMAN. Pursuant to the order of the House of today, the
gentleman from California (Mr. Schiff) and a Member opposed each will
control 5 minutes.
Mr. KOLBE. Mr. Chairman, I reserve a point of order on this
amendment, and I claim the time in opposition.
The CHAIRMAN. The gentleman reserves a point of order.
The gentleman from California is recognized for 5 minutes on his
amendment.
Mr. SCHIFF. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Chairman, I want to begin by congratulating the gentleman from
Arizona (Mr. Kolbe) and the ranking member, the gentlewoman from New
York (Mrs. Lowey), for their outstanding work on the bill. I think they
both have done a great job in advancing America’s foreign policy
priorities at an especially difficult time in our history.
I was particularly please to see the committee wisely provides $65
million in economic aid for Armenia, $3 million more than the
administration’s request, and that the committee wisely restored the
parity in security assistance between Armenia and Azerbaijan by funding
military aid and education assistance to both Armenia and Azerbaijan at
$6 million.
Today, I offer a simple amendment that will honor the 11/2 million
Armenians who perished in the Armenian Genocide of 1915-1923. I
consider this a sacred obligation, to ensure that the men, women and
children who perished at the hands of the Ottoman Empire are not lost
to history and that this Congress not fund shameful efforts to deny
that the genocide occurred.
Time is the ally of those who would deny or change history. Such has
it been, regrettably, by those who would continue to deny the
undeniable facts of the murder of 11/2 million people, the first
genocide of last century.
My amendment tonight seeks only to prohibit the use of funds to lobby

[[Page H5890]]

against H. Res. 193, the resolution which includes a reference to the
Armenian Genocide and reaffirms the support of Congress for the
genocide convention and commemorates the anniversary of our becoming a
party to this landmark legislation. It will not deprive countries of
funding that they need for legitimate purposes, but no appropriations
under this bill or any other bill should be used by other governments
to lobby this Congress against legislation, and particularly
legislation that reaffirms our commitment to the convention on genocide
and the recognition of the victims of the Armenian Genocide as well as
the victims of many other genocides in the history of mankind.
Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr.
Pallone).
Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of the amendment
offered by the gentleman from California (Mr. Schiff).
It is time for the United States to properly recognize the Armenian
Genocide, which is fully documented in the U.S. Archives and through an
overwhelming body of firsthand governmental and diplomatic evidence.
Despite the overwhelming evidence, the Turkish government and its
paid lobbyists have through threats and blackmail sought to prevent the
United States from properly commemorating the Armenian Genocide.
Morally it is wrong for the American people to be complicit in the
Turkish government’s efforts to deny the suffering and death of 1.5
million people. I would also like to point out that Turkey’s
recognition of the Armenian Genocide would represent a meaningful step
towards its acceptance into the European family of nations.
Finally, Mr. Chairman, it is time for this body to stop defending and
funding a government that continues to deny its own history and refuses
to break with the pattern of intolerance established by past Turkish
governments which dealt with minority issues by committing genocide
against Armenians, massacring and driving Greeks from its shores,
restricting the rights of Christians to worship, and denying the
existence of its Kurdish citizens.
I would like to add that I am joined in my support of this amendment
by the gentleman from New York (Mr. Crowley).
Mr. SCHIFF. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
The CHAIRMAN. Does the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Kolbe) wish to
make his point of order?
Mr. KOLBE. Mr. Chairman, I will not make a point of order on the
amendment. I will conclude the debate.
Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. SCHIFF. Mr. Chairman, how much time do I have remaining?
The CHAIRMAN. The gentleman from California (Mr. Schiff) has 2
minutes remaining.
Mr. SCHIFF. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Among historians there is no dispute about what happened to the
Armenian people. There is no dispute that it was genocide. Thousands of
pages of documents sit in our National Archives, newspapers of the day
were replete with stories about the murder of Armenians: “Appeal To
Turkey To Stop Massacres,” headlined the New York Times on April 28,
1915, just as the killing began.
On October 7 of that year, the Times reported that 800,000 Armenians
had been slain in cold blood in Asia Minor. In mid-December of 1915,
the Times spoke of a million Armenians killed or in exile.
In 1948, in the shadow of the Holocaust, the international community
responded to Nazi Germany’s methodically orchestrated acts of genocide
by approving the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the
Crime of Genocide. It confirms that genocide is a crime under
international law and defines genocide as actions committed with intent
to destroy a nation, ethnic, racial or religious group.
The United States under President Truman was the first nation to sign
the convention. Last year marked the 15th anniversary of President
Reagan signing the Genocide Convention Implementation Act.
Just over a year ago, I introduced H. Res. 193 with my colleagues,
the gentleman from California (Mr. Radanovich), the gentleman from New
Jersey (Mr. Pallone), the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Knollenberg),
and other Members of this House. This should have been an easy
resolution for all of us now to support on the House floor. Genocide is
the most abhorrent crime known to human kind; and, unfortunately, it is
happening in the Sudan as we speak.
The reason we have not yet succeeded in passing this resolution is
simple. The government of Turkey refuses to acknowledge the genocide,
and the strongest nation on Earth fears their reaction if we do.
110 of my colleagues have co-sponsored this resolution, and I expect
it would pass overwhelmingly if given the chance. At the very least we
should not fund efforts to silence our voices.
Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
The CHAIRMAN. The gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Kolbe) is recognized
for 5 minutes.
Mr. KOLBE. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Chairman, this is most unfortunate. We have just been handed this
amendment. It is a completely new amendment, quite different than the
one we had seen before. So we do not really know what the implications
of this are. I am trying to read it and think it through.
I am inclined to accept this and deal with its ramifications in the
full committee. Looking at it, let me say that it appears by saying
relating to lobbying with appropriated monies, but not having any way
of making that determination as to what that is, it does not have any
real impact. Nonetheless, I understand the symbolism of this, and I am
concerned about that in terms of our ally, Turkey. But I am prepared to
accept this amendment at this time. And as I said, we will deal with
its implications and ramifications at a later time.
Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the amendment offered
by my friend and colleague from California Adam Schiff.
This is an amendment to ensure that we never forget the struggles of
the Armenian people or that we never forget . . .
Ever since I was elected to the State Assembly and now in Congress, I
have been a strong supporter of the Armenian American community.
However, my strong support is not only because I represent a large
Armenian community in Queens but also because I see the strategic
importance of Caucasus region for the United States.
The contributions of the Armenian community to this great city cannot
be fully appreciated quantitatively.
It can only be realized by those who walk the streets of New York
every day.
I had the opportunity to travel to Armenia last summer.
Through meetings and discussions with elected officials and even
regular citizens, I have a clearer understanding of Armenia’s needs and
challenges.
I believe that as a nation Armenia is growing and with the support of
the United States and the Diasporan Armenian community–Armenia will be
able to overcome the economic and security challenges in the region.
I have continuously supported and encouraged closer ties between the
United States and Armenia because of the strategic position and also
because of the similar values of democracy and freedom.
The thorny path to liberty is a concept with which the people of
Armenia have been forced to contend for many years.
From the Armenian Genocide, to the republic’s absorption into the
Soviet Union, to the current struggle for Nagorno (NA-GORE-NO)-Karabakh
(KAR-AH-BAH), the path has not always been smooth.
I am pleased to say that the nation of Armenia does not need to
travel that thorny path alone.
I am proud to stand alongside them in an effort to reach their goals.
I assure you, it will never be forgotten.
Armenia remains a major focus in American foreign policy.
The United States recognizes the need to cultivate and support the
development of Armenia.
The United States has looked to Armenia to take the lead in bringing
peace and prosperity to the Caucasus.
The people of Armenia have overcome tremendous obstacles on the path
to liberty.
But again we can never forget the genocide and we must commemorate
it.
Mr. KOLBE. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
The CHAIRMAN. The question is on the amendment offered by the
gentleman from California (Mr. Schiff).

[[Page H5891]]

The amendment was agreed to.

[Congressional Record: July 15, 2004 (House)]
[Page H5804-H5825]
>From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:cr15jy04-87]

FOREIGN OPERATIONS, EXPORT FINANCING, AND RELATED PROGRAMS
APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2005

Mr. KNOLLENBERG. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of this bill
and encourage all of my colleagues to vote in favor of it today.
I want to thank the gentleman from Arizona (Chairman Kolbe) and the
gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Lowey) for their working together to
produce a very, very good bill. Let me also commend the staff for the
work that they have contributed. They have addressed the chairman’s,
ranking member’s and as many of the other Members’ problems and
interests as possible and done a very good job in producing an
effective bill. I hope and expect it will receive broad bipartisan
support today.
Mr. Chairman, the foreign operations bill is arguably the most
important contribution to America’s foreign policy that the House of
Representatives makes. Let me briefly highlight a few areas.
Assistance to the Middle East is always a central part of this bill.

{time} 1230

For fiscal year 2005, Israel will receive $2.2 billion in military
assistance, $360 million in economic assistance, and $50 billion to
resettle Jewish refugees in Israel. I strongly support all of that
funding.
The U.S.-Israel relationship is a cornerstone of our overall foreign
policy, and Israel is our critical ally in the Middle East. We do
disagree from time to time, but the U.S.-Israel relationship is
incredibly strong.
I also support the military and economic assistance to Egypt in this
bill. Because of the level of cooperation we are receiving from Egypt
in the war on terrorism and the peace process, I believe the bill
contains the right balance of military and economic assistance for each
at this time.
I understand that an amendment will likely be offered today to change
the balance of assistance to Egypt. I will strongly oppose that
amendment, and I urge my colleagues to join me in opposing it as well.
I am also very pleased this bill contains $35 million in economic
support funds for Lebanon, including $4 million for the American
educational institutions that are there. Lebanon has great potential,
and USAID’s Village Cluster Program has played an important role in the
development of villages throughout Lebanon. I know many Members agree
with me on that and that the continuation of this program of $35
million is critical.
Let me just highlight what this bill provides for Armenia.
Unfortunately, Armenia is a landlocked country surrounded by nations on
both sides that are hostile to it. Because transportation routes into
Armenia are sealed, the Armenian economy is being strangled. Therefore,
it is appropriate for the U.S. to provide substantial economic
assistance. This bill provides $65 million in economic assistance to
Armenia, which is an increase above the administration’s request.
We also must be very careful with the military assistance we provide
in the Caucasus, in the South Caucasus. I believe it is absolutely
critical to maintain complete parity in military assistance to Armenia
and Azerbaijan. I am pleased that this bill does exactly that.
The State Department’s Middle East Partnership Initiative is becoming
one of the most progressive reform programs in the Middle East. I am
pleased that this bill continues to provide funding for this important
initiative.
There are many more valuable programs in this bill, including the
Millennium Challenge Corporation, IMET to Greece, microcredit, and, of
course, funding to fight the scourge of HIV/AIDS.

Kavkaz Center, Turkey
July 16 2004

Georgia is not the one solving the problem of war and peace

During his visit to Georgia Ambassador Steven Mann, the US State
Department’s Special Negotiator for Eurasian Conflicts, met with
senior Georgian officials on Thursday to discuss ways to reduce the
tensions in the conflict region of South Ossetia. He stated that the
US fully supports Saakashvili on the issues of settling the situation
in Georgia’s breakaway (pro-Russian) regions of South Ossetia and
Abkhazia.

Ambassador Mann told reporters before his departure from Tbilisi,
Georgia to Baku, Azerbaijan that his visit was quite productive, and
that the mission of his visit was to reduce the tensions in order to
avoid a power solution of the scenario in the Georgian-Ossetian
conflict.

He also said that the US government is watching the Georgian-Russian
negotiations in Moscow closely, and many things depend on them.

Ambassador Mann especially stressed that Russia’s role is being
mentioned pretty often, even though one should remember that the
position of the Georgian government must be of number one priority.

He mentioned that the US Department of State and the US government
are interested not only in resolving the conflict in Tskhinvali
District, but in settling the conflict in Abkhazia as well.

Steven Mann said that Secretary of State Colin Powell is personally
in control of these issues, and that the US fully supports President
Saakashvili.

A few hours later Steven Mann expressed serious concern that the US
has about the escalation of tensions in South Ossetia. In diplomatic
lingo it means that Washington is going to have an active influence
on the process and use its position as Georgia’s protector.

To confirm that statement, the US representative stressed that
Secretary Powell wants to personally make sure that the US is doing
all things necessary to support peaceful solution to this problem.
Mann explained that this is the reason why he visited Georgian
capital Tbilisi.

It is symptomatic that Washington’s diplomatic activities go beyond
just the situation around South Ossetia. Press Service of the US
Embassy in Georgia announced that the main mission of US State
Department’s Special Negotiator’s visit to the South Caucasus is to
continue discussions on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Ambassador
Mann is the US Co-Chair of the OSCE’s Minsk Group dedicated to
resolving that conflict. Besides, Ambassador Mann serves as a
catalyst between governments, industry and in some cases NGOs, to
achieve specific milestones to forward the goal of creating an
East-West energy corridor from the Caspian to the Mediterranean.

While in Tbilisi, Ambassador Mann may also have meetings regarding
the BTC (Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan) pipeline.

Meanwhile in Georgia the problem of whether or not a war will break
out is now being discussed. Most of the ones who have their say on
this issue stick to the viewpoint that Russia would benefit from the
war, and this is why the US will not let the war happen.

At the same time, Saakashvili’s critics are voicing an opinion that
military tensions around South Ossetia have been created
artificially, which is harmful for the country and which creates
favorable conditions for further separation of South Ossetia from
Georgia. The story with captuing 50 policemen was a painful blow to
the psychological state of the Georgians, who just started to believe
in the chance of regaining control over South Ossetia and Abkhazia.

Georgian President’s opponents are also convinced that provoking a
military conflict, which is unlikely to develop into a ful-scale war,
will virtually create ideal conditions for Abkhazia and South Ossetia
to strengthen their statuses of independent republics. Saakashvili’s
critics believe that this kind of a situation will make the country’s
leadership give up on any firther attempts to regain control over
these regions. In exchange, Georgia will allegedly be offered a place
in NATO.

Such a scenario implies some conspiracy between Russia and the US.
But it’s kind of hard to say how possible it would be in the present
conditions. One thing is clear that Washington needs stability in
this region. Big Caspian oilfields are on the approaches (‘in the
pipeline’ so to say), and the situation in Iraq is not getting any
better either. If a war will have to happen, the war will have to be
quick, and Russia will not be supposed to take part in it. But if the
war will not happen, then Georgia will have to forget all about its
former autonomies for quite a while.

The future will show which one of the scenarios has been picked in
Washington. But one thing is already clear today: the problem of war
in peace is not being solved in Tbilisi or Tskhinvali.

Data Tutashkhia, Tbilisi, Georgia.

For Kavkaz-Center

Fatal Accident
Fresno Bee
Section B2
July 15, 2004

(Picture Caption)
Richard Darby

Fresno Police Lt. Mike Guthrie walks past a car damaged after it slammed
into the rear of a tractor-trailer rig that had slowed in a construction
zone on Herndon Avenue in Fresno, police reported Wednesday. Hovig Apo
Saghdejian, 23 of Fresno, the driver of the car, was killed. Lt. Andy Hall
said Saghdejian was driving west on Herndon near Van Ness Boulevard when he
ran into the trailer, which was carrying a load of structural steel to be
dropped off at a construction project. Truck driver Larry Carbajal, 43, of
Porterville was shaken but not injured, Hall said. Hall said the victim, who
was not wearing a seatbelt, was still alive when medical emergency personnel
arrived but was declared dead a few minutes later. The accident happened
shortly after 9 a.m. The westbound lanes of Herndon between Van Ness and
Marks were closed for several hours.