RIA OREANDA
Economic Press Review
April 28, 2004 Wednesday
Opposition Meeting in Armenia
Yerevan. GAZETA.RU
On Tuesday evening another opposition meeting, organized by the
Justice and National unity parties, with the only demand to shift the
authorities of the republic took place in the downtown of Yerevan.
Twenty five thousand people were reported to take part in the meeting
whereas according to information given by the police, the meeting
counted roughly 3 thousand men. Setting out the Armenian opposition s
vision in the Parliament, the Justice faction deputy, Stepan Zakarayn
said that they put in a claim to the Parliament majority to accept
the opposition demands and let the Armenians move freely about the
country according to the Constitution. More over, the Justice party
leader considered the discussion of Armenia s situation at the
Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) meeting to be
required. Copyright (c) 1997-2004 RIA “OREANDA”

City News Service
April 27, 2004 Tuesday
Man Pleads Innocent to Nephew’s Slaying
PASADENA
A man accused of killing his 18-year-old nephew in Glendale six
months ago and fleeing to Armenia before returning voluntarily to the
United States pleaded innocent today to a murder charge. Gaik
Shakhmuradyan, 33, was jailed on $2 million bail pending a Friday
appearance in Pasadena Superior Court. A date is scheduled to be set
then for a hearing to determine if there is enough evidence to send
him on to trial. Shakhmuradyan is charged with murder for the Oct. 20
shooting death of Edvin Isagulyan. Isagulyan was gunned down in the
500 block of South Glendale Avenue. After the crime, detectives
determined the suspect was the victim’s uncle, but received no
cooperation from the family, Glendale police Lt. Jon Perkins said
yesterday. The detectives eventually learned the suspect had fled to
Abovyan, Armenia, Perkins said. Glendale detectives went to Armenia
and, with help from the United States Embassy and Armenian law
enforcement officials, found and spoke with Shakhmuradyan, according
to the detective. Shakhmuradyan returned to Los Angeles last
Thursday, accompanied by a Glendale police detective who went to
Armenia to question him, the lieutenant said. “During interviews, the
suspect offered to voluntarily return to the United States and face
the pending charges against him,” Perkins said. “We believe this is
the first time that an individual who has fled to Armenia has
returned to the United States to face murder charges,” he added.

A1 Plus | 00:59:30 | 29-04-2004 | Politics | PACE SPRING SESSION |
ARMEN RUSTAMYAN: “BOTH OPPOSITION AND AUTHORITIES MUST STOP”
“Ayb-Fe”: “Did the events occurring in Armenia hamper you?”
Armen Rustamyan: “I don’t think that we could get assistance in Yerevan. We
must not try to solve our problems in PACE. We must stop for a while, come
to ourselves and realize that the process for the European integration must
be expedited. By the way, Opposition and Authorities must do it jointly. And
if we don’t manage we will lose”.

Azat Artsakh – Republic of Nagorno Karabakh (NKR)
April 28, 2004
CONSOLIDATION IS THE ALTERNATIVE
According to the minister of agriculture B. Bakhshiyan, the progress
in the sphere of agriculture is rather quantitative than qualitative.
Then why is the progress so slow despite the fact that there are no
problems in the legislative sphere, and everything is done to promote
the development of agriculture? The actuality, however, arouses
anxiety. To find out the opinion and approach of the legislators in
reference to the problems and development rates of the sphere of
agriculture we talked to the chairman of the permanent committee of
industry and industrial infrastructures of NKR National Assembly Kamo
Barseghian. – Mr. Barseghian, what is your evaluation of the situation
in the sphere of agriculture? What is, in your opinion, the reason for
slow rates of development of NKR agriculture? – Of course, the
collapse of the Union was followed by inevitable consequences,
moreover, it was necessary to adjust to the new production
relationships, which by the way, went on through great difficulties.
Naturally we could not have advanced by the former rates of
production, especially after the war. The rates of reproduction also
had dropped. Being separated from the Soviet Union, then Russia,
adopting the line of independence, we were to access the international
market where our products were inferior in quality. According to the
new economic relationships privatization was to become the strategic
issue. However, the implementation of privatization was carried out,
in my opinion, from a wrong standpoint. Privatization should be
started with shops and then only proceed to the sphere of
agriculture. What is more, the agricultural machinery should not have
been included in the process. In other words, privatization should
have been implemented stage by stage. And what happened in reality?
Mistakes were made in the very beginning, and those were rather
serious mistakes. – Could you enumerate them? Not could but I should
enumerate them. Starting with consumption cooperatives. I want to
emphasize that the consumption cooperatives had been established even
before the revolution. In the Soviet years these cooperatives were not
modified and remained as cooperative property. In our times it is only
in NKR (in Armenia HayCoop still operates) that the consumption
cooperatives, on a vague basis, were announced as state property, then
privatized and the receipts were directed at filling the budget
gap. The next mistake was that the whole population of Karabakh
profited from privatization except for the inhabitants of
Stepanakert. The whole population of the villages and regional centers
received farming land 6000 square meter or 0.6 hectare. The
inhabitants of Stepanakert who worked all their lives in factories
received only living area. The general dissolution of collective farms
should have been prevented. The agricultural machinery should not have
been dissolved as neither Armenia, nor Karabakh produce
machines. Living in blockade for a long time we were to use the
machines which we inherited from the Soviet rule. And we took and
privatized the machinery. There were very few owners who could afford
to repair the machines. These are used intensively, and the new ones
are not available for the ordinary land farmer. Therefore machines
are dispersed and in a bad condition. And it is impossible to consider
seriously the development of agriculture without agricultural machines
and modern ones. – During this session the National Assembly adopted
land, forest and water codes, the laws “On Seed Farming” (which has
not been passed in Armenia yet), “On Tax on Land”, “On Nature
Preservation”, “On Flora”, “On Fauna” etc. there is an intention to
present to the National Assembly the bill “On Hypothec”. There are
laws, now it is the turn of the executive to bring them in effect. –
Certain progress was achieved in agriculture in the recent years,
especially in the sphere of production of grain. – Yes, there is
certain success. But only with the large landowners. It is a fact
that without consolidation agriculture does not have serious
possibilities for development. The only way out from the situation is
consolidation of private farms and cooperation. Otherwise the
government will have to aid farmers permanently by granting low
interest long-term loans and sell the new acquired agricultural
machines though hypothec. In recent years Armenia has started the
import of new machines, naturally at the current high prices. Is an
ordinary farmer (supporting a family of five members) who has in
average 3 hectares of land, able to buy any new machine? And such
farmers are very many in our country. Either the government should aid
them to buy machines through the hypothec method, or as I mentioned,
they have to join efforts and means. If we have successful farmers, we
will be a developing country. And being an agrarian country we must
have a state strategic program of development of agriculture.
SUSANNA BALAYAN

Azat Artsakh – Republic of Nagorno Karabakh (NKR)
April 28, 2004
SYMBOL OF THE DAY IS UNITY
On April 24 as every year thousands of Artsakh people paid tribute to
the memory of the victims of the genocide of the Armenian nation
implemented by the Ottoman Empire. In the evening of April 23 the
youth organizations and student unions of Stepanakert organized a
memory march with torches and slogans which started in the Garegin
Nzhdeh Street and finished at the memorial complex of Stepanakert.
Thus the young people of Artsakh confirmed their determination and
high morale always to keep in mind the genocide of the Armenians
unless it is recognized internationally. The march of Stepanakerters
to the memorial complex started early in the morning of April 24. The
educational institutions, public and political organizations and
offices joined to the claim of condemning the genocide of the
Armenians. At 11:00 NKR prime minister Anoushavan Danielian, vice
speaker of the National Assembly Moushegh Ohanjanian, members of
parliament, members of government, military officials, and others
visited the memorial complex to commemorate the victims of the
Genocide. Flowers were laid on the memorial of the victims of the
genocide by the NKR authorities, the Artsakh Diocese and different
agencies. The priests of the Artsakh Diocese performed the service of
commemoration. The symbol of the day, as the participants of the march
mentioned, is unity.
LAURA GRIGORIAN

ARKA News Agency
April 28 2004
152 crimes registered in Nagorno Karabakh in Q1 2004
In last 2 years Austrian Airlines provided $100 thousand on
assistance programs to Armenia
Azeri `Organization of Karabakh Liberation’ plans to make a March in
Nagorno Karabakh on May 8
EU enlargement summit opens in Warsaw
*********************************************************************
152 CRIMES REGISTERED IN NAGORNO KARABAKH IN Q1 2004
YEREVAN, April 28. /ARKA/. 152 crimes registered in Nagorno Karabakh
in Q1 2004, which is by 9% less than in the same period of 2003, it
was stated today during the sitting in NKR Police. It was noted that
2 murders in report period were discovered.
NKR Chief of Police Arman Isagulov noted the necessity of deepening
the links between operative services and district militia officers.
L.D. –0–
*********************************************************************
IN LAST 2 YEARS AUSTRIAN AIRLINES PROVIDED $100 THOUSAND ON
ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS TO ARMENIA
YEREVAN, April 28. /ARKA/. In last 2 years Austrian Airlines provided
$100 thousand on assistance programs to Armenia, the Head of Austrian
Airlines Yerevan Office Werner Kruger stated today. According to him,
assets were basically spent for public activity in Armenia, namely
for assistance to Armenian Information Agency, National Philharmonic
Orchestra, National Chamber Orchestra and Chess Federation.
Austrian Airlines make flights in 125 cities of 67 countries. Yerevan
office of the company was opened in Jan. 2001 and first flight in
Vienna was made in March 26, 2001. L.D. –0 –
*********************************************************************
AZERI `ORGANIZATION OF KARABAKH LIBERATION’ PLANS TO MAKE A MARCH IN
NAGORNO KARABAKH ON MAY 8
STEPANAKERT, April 28. /ARKA/. Azeri `Organization of Karabakh
Liberation’ plans to make a march in Nagorno Karabakh on May 8. NKR
MFA stated that it is so-called march of peace, organized on public
initiative and more than likely has propaganda and populism
character. MFA stated that there was no statement to the authorities
of Nagorno Karabakh Republic from initiators of the march. `However
we think that there will be no statement in the future, because real
goals of the activity are different from announced. It could be that
in other conditions this step was estimated as activity directed on
establishment of atmosphere of trust between the parties of the
conflict, however, today it can be a provocation at contact line of
conflicting parties’. L.D. –0–
*********************************************************************
EU ENLARGEMENT SUMMIT OPENS IN WARSAW
YEREVAN, April 28. /ARKA/. The European Economic Summit will begin
today in Warsaw today, organized by World Economic (Davoss) Forum.
This year’s meeting is titled Europe: Enlargement and Beyond will
last three days under patronage of the Polish President Alexander
Kwasniewsky. According to founder of the Davoss Economic Forum Klaus
Schwab, the summit particpants in Warsaw will try to answer a global
question: `What kind of EU and Europe will we have after the
enlargement?, when 10 new state incorporate in the EU.
Around 700 representatives of political and economic elite arrived in
Warsaw from 45 states of the world, incl presidents, prime ministers
and ministers from 31 states.
As expected, the summit will discuss the forthcoming enlargement of
EU on May 1 and its impact on economic and political activity of the
EU, as well issues related to competition, demography, healthcare and
pension systems.
Amon the participants of the Forum are Armenian Presidents of Robert
Kocharian, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, President of Romania
Ion Iliescu, President of Ukraine Leonid Kuchma, President of Poland
– Alexander Kwasniewsky, President of Hungary Ferenc Madl, Presindet
of Serbia and Montenegro – Svetozar Marovic, President of Albania
Alfred Moisiu, President of Bulgaria – Georgi Pyrvanow, President of
Germany – Johannes Rau, President of Georgia Mikhail Saakashvili,
President of Portugal – Jorge Sampaio, President of Slvakia – Rudolf
Suster, President of Latvia – Vaira Vike-Freiberga, President of
Moldova Vladimir Voronin.
The Warsaw is being permanently patrolled by helicopters, and around
20 000 policemen control the city with ready water canons for
dispersing of demonstrations. During European Economic Forum the
opponents of globalization held their `anti-forum’. According to some
data around 15 000 antiglobalists. T.M. -0–

ASBAREZ ONLINE
TOP STORIES
04/28/2004
TO ACCESS PREVIOUS ASBAREZ ONLINE EDITIONS PLEASE VISIT OUR
WEBSITE AT <;HTTP:// 1) Kocharian, Aliyev Foresee More Frequent Meetings 2) Uruguay Parliament Marks 89th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide 3) Georgia War Games near Defiant Rebel Region 4) Council of Europe Head Offers to Mediate Armenia Standoff 5) Armenian Dram Hits Three-year High against US Dollar 1) Kocharian, Aliyev Foresee More Frequent Meetings WARSAW (AFP/Armenpress)--The presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia met on Wednesday on the sidelines of a European economic summit to discuss the Mountainous Karabagh conflict. "They had a constructive discussion. They have agreed to meet again. No date was set," said a diplomat, after what was only the second meeting between Armenian President Robert Kocharian and his Azeri counterpart Ilham Aliyev. The two last met in December, while the foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan have met more recently. President Kocharian told reporters that an agreement was reached for the foreign ministers of both countries to meet regularly. Armenia's foreign minister Vartan Oskanian and his Azeri counterpart Elmar Mamedyarov will meet in May. In turn, the presidents agreed to meet on the sidelines of international summits, conferences, and meetings to continue peace talks. Kocharian said he was satisfied with the basic nature of the Warsaw meeting. The entire body of the Minsk Group, a 13-nation grouping within the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) that has been seeking to mediate between the two sides, was present during the meeting. "The Azeri side wants to regulate this issue; a similar will is noticed from the Armenian side as well. That's why we may find a way out and progress," Aliyev said. Mamedyarov said that Azerbaijan's approach in negotiations is to propose the return of "occupied" lands and restoration of transportation routes. Asked whether Azerbaijan demands that negotiations start from scratch, and whether previous Azeri President Heidar Aliyev's approach was wrong, the foreign minister said, "We do not say that the peace talks must be started from the very beginning," and suggested that previous negotiations and headway be reassessed based on the most recent dialogue between Kocharian and Aliyev. 2) Uruguay Parliament Marks 89th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide RESOLUTION ON 'DECLARING APRIL 24 AS DAY TO CONDEMN AND REJECT ALL GENOCIDES' TO BE SUBMITTED TO UNITED NATIONS MONTEVIDEO--For the fourth year running, on April 24, the Parliament of Uruguay, in cooperation with the Armenian National Committee, organized the year's main commemorative event on the anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. The grand hall of the Parliament, reserved for special ceremonies, was packed with members of the Uruguayan Armenian community. Present at the invitation of the Parliament's Presidency were high-level diplomats, including the ambassadors of Greece, Russia, Peru, Bolivia, and Romania. Those who addressed the solemn gathering included Members of Parliament from the four political groupings represented in Parliament: the Colorado Party, the National party, the New Sector/Space Coalition, and the Progressive Encounter/Broad Front Coalition. The left-wing Progressive Encounter's representative, Enrique Pintado, who is Chairman of the Chamber of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs, announced, "Our Committee unanimously decided 'to declare April 24 as a day to condemn and reject all genocides' and will pursue with our foreign minister the submission of this decision to an upcoming session of the United Nations." On behalf of the Armenian community of Uruguay, Sarkis Kouyoumdjian addressed the commemorative gathering, expressing words of appreciation to the parliament, government, and people of Uruguay for their support of the Armenian Case. Other Armenian Genocide commemorative events taking place in Uruguay April 22-25 included a youth vigil, a showing of the movie Ararat, a service for the repose of souls, and a wreath-laying ceremony. The events were organized by the Armenian National Committee and "Armenia" youth organization. News sources: Uruguay Armenian National Committee and Diocesan Executive. 3) Georgia War Games near Defiant Rebel Region TBILISI (Reuters)--Georgia positioned more troops and armor close to Ajaria on Wednesday for a major military exercise certain to fuel further tension with its rebel Black Sea region. The three-day Dioscuria-2004 maneuvers start on Friday as a standoff continues between new Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili and Ajarian leader Aslan Abashidze over control of the region that has a lucrative oil port at Batumi. Abashidze, who has been engaged in verbal dueling with Saakashvili for weeks, denounced the exercise. "Tbilisi is heating up tensions to the extreme with such unprovoked actions," he told Russia's Itar-Tass news agency. But Saakashvili, on a visit to Poland, said Ajaria was not a target of the exercise at the Kulevi training ground 30 km (20 miles) from its border. "No kind of military action can be taken anywhere in Georgia, especially in Ajaria," Saakashvili told reporters in Warsaw. "In Ajaria everything will be sorted out peacefully." Ajaria, is one of three regions that slipped out of Tbilisi's control after Georgia gained independence from the Soviet Union in late 1991. But unlike separatist Abkhazia and South Ossetia, which fought bloody wars with Tbilisi, Ajaria has never claimed formal independence from Georgia. Nearly 2,000 servicemen from ex-Soviet Georgia's armed forces and a quarter of its 120 pieces of armor--tanks and armored vehicles--will take part in the exercise. Military aircraft were expected to arrive on Wednesday. Georgia's Defense Ministry said the exercise will provide training on protecting oil pipelines from "terrorists" and on carrying out raids on illegal drug-producing laboratories. Georgia's Black Sea coast has no major pipelines, but an international pipeline is under construction to take Caspian oil to the Mediterranean through the eastern part of the country. Tbilisi and the region came close to military confrontation last month after Saakashvili was initially blocked from entering the province. He subsequently traveled to the Ajarian regional capital of Batumi where he held inconclusive crisis talks with Abashidze. Abashidze turned the region into a relatively prosperous personal fiefdom amid turmoil across Georgia in the 1990s. Ajaria, which apart from the oil port hosts a key customs point on Georgia's border with Turkey, does not contribute to the national budget and has its own military force. Saakashvili, who became president after leading a bloodless coup against former President and ex-Soviet Foreign Minister Eduard Shevardnadze last November, has promised to restore Tbilisi's control over the whole country and has accused Abashidze of turning Ajaria into a haven for criminals. 4) Council of Europe Head Offers to Mediate Armenia Standoff URGES OPPOSITION TO RETURN TO PARLIAMENT FROM THE STREETS YEREVAN (RFE/RL)--The secretary general of the Council of Europe Walter Schwimmer, on Wednesday called on the Armenian government and the opposition to resolve their bitter dispute through negotiation and offered to mediate in such a dialogue, and urged the opposition to "return to parliament from the streets." "The Council of Europe supports the dialogue between the authorities and the opposition, and has a successful experience of sponsoring it in various countries," Schwimmer told a news conference in Strasbourg. He said his permanent representative Yerevan Natalia Voutova, is ready to assist in arranging direct contact between the two sides. The offer came just hours before the organization's Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) was due to discuss the tense situation in Armenia. The issue was included on the agenda of the PACE's spring session at the last minute despite objections voiced by Armenian lawmakers. A draft PACE resolution drawn up by a committee monitoring Armenia's compliance with its membership commitments notes that the authorities have ignored Council of Europe demands to stop using the country's controversial Code of Administrative Offenses for imprisoning participants of opposition rallies. It does, however, say that the Armenian opposition "should refrain from attempts to use street demonstrations to reverse the results of last year's elections, which have been, in spite of the irregularities, validated by relevant national and international bodies." Opposition representatives and leaders of the three parties represented in Armenia's coalition government met this week to try to ease the tensions. The talks broke down on Tuesday, with the opposition accusing the government coalition of showing no signs of accepting any of its ultimatums, including one calling for a referendum of confidence in Kocharian. 5) Armenian Dram Hits Three-year High against US Dollar YEREVAN (RFE/RL)--The Armenian national currency, the dram, gained more ground against the US dollar on Wednesday, registering its highest exchange rate since October 2000, despite weeks of political turmoil in the country. The dram was trading at an average of 549 per dollar in Yerevan's currency exchange bureaus, making its value almost 3 percent higher than two months ago. Analysts found it hard to explain the phenomenon that countered recent global currency rate trends of recent weeks. The Central Bank of Armenia (CBA) denies any role in the dram's strengthening, insisting that its floating rate is determined by the market factors of demand and supply. According to Tigran Jrbashian of the Sed Marsed consulting firm, demand in the dram is pushed up by payment of first-quarter profit taxes by businesses which began on April 1. "The main reason for the dram's strengthening is the collection of quite a lot of taxes in the course of this year," he said. The Armenian government reported a 30 percent jump in its profit tax revenues collected in the first three months of this year. The increase followed a toughening of penalties for the widespread evasion of the 20 percent corporate income tax. The dram's gains have been twice as stronger against another major world currency--the euro. One euro is currently worth 652 drams, down from 702 drams registered in late February. The difference seems to result from a recent rebound in the dollar's value in the international currency markets. The dram thus remains effectively pegged to the dollar despite the European Union's status as Armenia's number one trading partner. The EU's common currency drained the greenback of nearly a fifth of its value last year. The dram similarly fell by almost 14 percent against the euro during the same period. 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. From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
______

HON. PETER J. VISCLOSKY
of indiana
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, April 27, 2004
Mr. VISCLOSKY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in solemn memorial to the
estimated 1.5 million men, women, and children who lost their lives
during the Armenian Genocide. As in the past, I am pleased to join so
many distinguished House colleagues on both sides of the aisle in
ensuring that the horrors wrought upon the Armenian people are never
repeated. On April 24, 1915, over 200 religious, political, and
intellectual leaders of the Armenian community were brutally executed
by the Turkish government in Istanbul. Over the course of the next 8
years, this war of ethnic genocide against the Armenian community in
the Ottoman Empire took the lives of over half the world’s Armenian
population. Sadly, there are some people who still deny the very
existence of this period which saw the institutionalized slaughter of
the Armenian people and dismantling of Armenian culture. To those who
would question these events, I point to the numerous reports contained
in the U.S. National Archives detailing the process that
systematically decimated the Armenian population of the Ottoman
Empire. However, old records are too easily forgotten–and
dismissed. That is why we come together every year at this time: to
remember in words what some may wish to file away in archives. This
genocide did take place, and these lives were taken. That memory must
keep us forever vigilant in our efforts to prevent these atrocities
from ever happening again. I am proud to note that Armenian
immigrants found, in the United States, a country where their culture
could take root and thrive. Most Armenians in America are children or
grandchildren of the survivors, although there are still survivors
among us. In my district in Northwest Indiana, a vibrant
Armenian-American community has developed and strong ties to Armenia
continue to flourish. My predecessor in the House, the late Adam
Benjamin, was of Armenian heritage, and his distinguished service in
the House serves as an example to the entire Northwest Indiana
community. Over the years, members of the Armenian- American community
throughout the United States have contributed millions of dollars and
countless hours of their time to various Armenian causes. Of
particular note are Mrs. Vicki Hovanessian and her husband, Dr. Raffy
Hovanessian, residents of Indiana’s First Congressional District, who
have continually worked to improve the quality of life in Armenia, as
well as in Northwest Indiana. Three other Armenian-American families
in my congressional district, Dr. Aram and Mrs. Seta Semerdjian,
Dr. Heratch and Mrs. Sonya Doumanian, and Dr. Ara and Mrs. Rosy
Yeretsian, have also contributed greatly toward charitable works in
the United States and Armenia. Their efforts, together with hundreds
of other members of the Armenian-American community, have helped to
finance several important projects in Armenia, including the
construction of new schools, a mammography clinic, and a crucial
roadway connecting Armenia to Nagorno Karabagh. In the House, I have
tried to assist the efforts of my Armenian- American constituency by
continually supporting foreign aid to Armenia. This past year, with
my support, Armenia received $84 million in U.S. aid to assist
economic and military development. In addition, on April 16, 2004, I
joined several of my colleagues in signing the letter to President
Bush urging him to honor his pledge to recognize the Armenian
Genocide. The Armenian people have a long and proud history. In the
fourth century, they became the first nation to embrace
Christianity. During World War I, the Ottoman Empire was ruled by an
organization known as the Young Turk Committee, which allied with
Germany. Amid fighting in the Ottoman Empire’s eastern Anatolian
provinces, the historic heartland of the Christian Armenians, Ottoman
authorities ordered the deportation and execution of all Armenians in
the region. By the end of 1923, virtually the entire Armenian
population of Anatolia and western Armenia had either been killed or
deported. While it is important to keep the lessons of history in
mind, we must also remain committed to protecting Armenia from new and
more hostile aggressors. In the last decade, thousands of lives have
been lost and more than a million people displaced in the struggle
between Armenia and Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabagh. Even now, as we
rise to commemorate the accomplishments of the Armenian people and
mourn the tragedies they have suffered, Azerbaijan, Turkey, and other
countries continue to engage in a debilitating blockade of this free
nation. Consistently, I have testified before the Foreign Operations
Appropriations Subcommittee on the important issue of bringing peace
to a troubled area of the world. I continued my support for
maintaining the level of funding for the Southern Caucasus region of
the Independent States (IS), and of Armenia in particular. In
addition, on February 26, 2004, I joined several of my colleagues in
sending a letter to President Bush urging nim to ensure parity in
military assistance between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Mr. Speaker, I
would like to thank my colleagues, Representatives Joe Knollenberg and
Frank Pallone, for organizing this special order to commemorate the
89th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. Their efforts will not only
help bring needed attention to this tragic period in world history,
but also serve to remind us of our duty to protect basic human rights
and freedoms around the world.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

TIME TO REMEMBER THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, this April marks the 89th anniversary of
the cataclysmic events that occurred in the Turkish Ottoman Empire
between 1915 and 1923, where 1.5 million Armenians were killed and
over a half million survivors were forcibly deported into exile. On
Sunday, I had the privilege to participate in a service at the
Armenian Church of Our Savior in Worcester, Massachusetts, where in
the presence of 19 survivors, the community of Worcester paid homage
to the martyrs and survivors of the Armenian Genocide and their
descendents. Mr. Speaker, last May, the House Committee on the
Judiciary reported out House Resolution 193. We have been waiting for
nearly 1 year now for the Speaker of the House to schedule this bill
for a debate and for a vote, and I would urge at this time that the
Speaker schedule this bill as quickly as possible so that the House of
Representatives may join those nations and those scholars who affirm
the Genocide Convention and recognize the Armenian Genocide and
Holocaust as genocides of the 20th century. Mr. Speaker, I am
submitting for the Record comments I made at the Armenian Church of
Our Savior this past Sunday.
I would very much like to thank Father Terzian and the
community of faith of the Armenian Church of Our Savior for
inviting me once again to this commemoration. It is one of the
great privileges of my office to participate in this annual day
of remembrance of the martyrs and survivors of the Armenian
Genocide. It is a privilege to be in the company of our city’s
mayor, the Honorable Tim Murray, and in the company of Councilor
Petty, Representative Leary, Representative Fresolo, Senator
Moore, Senator Glodis, and Selectman Montocalvo. And I am very
much looking forward to the pleasure of hearing the Worcester
Chorale perform after their five-month break, under the
continuing leadership of Maestro Petrossian. It is also a
pleasure for me to share the podium with Nathaniel Mencow, who is
so well known for his work as a historian, and who has worked for
so long for the recognition of the heroic service of his brother,
First Lieutenant William Martin Mencow, who gave his life in
defense of freedom during World War II. But I am most privileged
and most honored to be here in the presence of survivors of the
Armenian Genocide, their descendents, and the descendents of
those who perished in the genocide. This April marks the 89th
anniversary of the cataclysmic events that occurred in the
Ottoman Empire between 1915 and 1923, where one-and-a-half
million Armenians were killed and over half-a-million survivors
were exiled. Our city has been especially blessed by the
presence and contributions of a large and vital Armenian
community. Each year we come to this church to recognize, honor
and remember that this rich heritage is, in part, a sad
inheritance paid with the blood of millions of innocent men,
women and children. I know that most of you are aware that
legislation has been introduced in the U.S. House of
Representatives which reaffirms U.S. support for the Genocide
Convention, calls upon the president and the U.S. government to
work to prevent future genocides, and recognizes the Armenian
Genocide. This bill, H. Res. 193, has 110 bipartisan cosponsors
and was reported out of the House Judiciary Committee last May.
It has been waiting for nearly one year now for the Speaker of
the House, Dennis Hastert, to put it on the schedule of the House
for debate and vote. I am always amazed that there are those in
Congress who view this bill as controversial. They are
influenced, in part, by those voices who continue to deny that
the Armenian Genocide or the Holocaust, which is also cited in
this bill, ever happened. The Turkish government, for example,
claims that the Armenian Genocide does not meet the definition of
genocide, despite the fact that the father of the Genocide
Convention, human rights pioneer Rafael Lemkin, specifically
cited the Holocaust and the Armenian Genocide as the two clear
instances of genocidal crimes covered by the Convention.
Contrary to the Turkish government’s claims, legal scholars,
historians, human rights organizations, journalists and the
majority of political leaders around the world firmly believe and
assert that the 1915 mass slaughter of Armenians fits the legal
definition of genocide. Israel Charney, the noted genocide and
Holocaust scholar and the editor of the respected Encyclopedia of
Genocide, has written extensively about the psychology of
genocide denial. He has stressed that to deny the countless
deaths of a known event of genocide is to celebrate those deaths
and to send a signal that the power that brought about this
destruction is still in force and can be used again when
opportunity permits. To seek to erase agonizing memories–to
assert that those memories are false–is to
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openly mock the feelings and sensibilities of the victims and
their descendents–to once again victimize the victims. This is
why it is so important to recognize–openly and freely,
officially and informally, every single day–the events of the
Armenian Genocide. America, along with the rest of the world, is
famous for using the words “never again,” when speaking about
the Armenian Genocide and the Holocaust carried out by Nazi
Germany. Unfortunately, “never again” happens over and over
again–in Cambodia, in Rwanda, in Kosovo, and now in present- day
Sudan. It has been a blessing to me in my work that when
genocide threatens any people, anywhere in the world, the
Armenian- American community has always worked to bring these
events to my attention and to the attention of U.S. and
international policy-makers. The Armenian-American community has
always joined with other organizations to educate the public
about present-day horrors and to organize relief and support for
victims and survivors. In this way, through these works, the
tragedy of the Armenian Genocide is transformed into a legacy of
life, of hope, of survival and resistance. So, I come here today
not only to remember and honor the martyrs, survivors and
descendants of the Armenian Genocide, but to honor and celebrate
this community, which has given back so much to this city and our
country. Please let me thank you–each and every one of you–for
allowing me to share this day with you.

28.04.2004 14:54:00 GMT
Turkey ready to broaden relations with Armenia
Moscow. April 28 (Interfax) – Turkey is prepared to broaden relations with
Armenia, if that country shows it is willing to expand contacts with Turkey,
Turkish Ambassador to Russia Kurtulus Taskent told a press conference in
Moscow on Wednesday.
“We would like to establish good relations with Armenia,” he said.
However, he expressed regret that Armenia has territorial claims against
Turkey. “Of course, no one is strong enough to take away territory from
Turkey,” he said.
If all these aspects in Armenia’s policy regarding Turkey are settled,
relations will develop intensively, the ambassador said.
One cannot say that there are no relations at all between Turkey and
Armenia. “They do exist and the leaders of both countries meet and discuss
their future. Business contacts are being maintained, as well,” he said.
He said that Turkey was one of the first countries to recognize Armenia’s
independence. “We would like to develop our relations with Armenia the way
we do with other countries,” Taskent said.