Bush Again Breaks Pledge To Recognize Armenian Genocide

WASHINGTON--In his eighth and final year in office, President George W. Bush, today, again resorted to the use of evasive and euphemistic terminology to obscure the full moral, historical, and contemporary legal implications of Turkey's genocide against the Armenian people between 1915-1923, reported the Armenian National Committee of America.
   "This April 24, President Bush's last in office, he completed his eight-year long betrayal of his campaign commitment to properly recognize the Armenian Genocide," said Aram Hamparian, Executiv Director of the ANCA.
   "The President not only failed to honor his promise to recognize the Armenian Genocide, but used the full force of his White House to block Congress from taking the very step he himself had pledged to undertake as a candidate for office.  He not only fired a sitting U.S. Ambassador who had the courage to honor his president's forsaken pledge by speaking truthfully about this crime, but then went on to nominate a genocide denier to take his place.  He not only pursued patently anti-Armenian policies throughout his two terms in office, but never once - amid his many meetings on Armenian-related issues with foreign leaders 's agreed to discuss these concerns with the leadership of the Armenian American community."
   The complete text of the President's statement is provided below.

The White House
April 24, 2008

 Statement by the President on Armenian Remembrance Day

On this day of remembrance, we honor the memory of the victims of one of the greatest tragedies of the 20th century, the mass killings and forced exile of as many as 1.5 million Armenians at the end of the Ottoman Empire. I join the Armenian community in America and around the world in commemorating this tragedy and mourning the loss of so many innocent lives.
   As we reflect on this epic human tragedy, we must resolve to redouble our efforts to promote peace, tolerance, and respect for the dignity of human life. The Armenian people's unalterable determination to triumph over tragedy and flourish is a testament to their strength of character and spirit. We are grateful for the many contributions Americans of Armenian heritage have made to our Nation.
   We welcome the efforts by individuals in Armenia and Turkey to foster reconciliation and peace, and support joint efforts for an open examination of the past in search of a shared understanding of these tragic events. We look forward to the realization of a fully normalized Armenia-Turkey relationship.
   The United States is committed to a strong relationship with Armenia based on shared values. We call on the Government of Armenia to take decisive steps to promote democracy, and will continue our support for Armenia to this end. We remain committed to serving as an honest broker in pursuit of a lasting and peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
   On this solemn day of remembrance, Laura and I express our deepest condolences to Armenian people around the world.

George W. Bush
 

Adam Schiff: Genocide recognition is our moral imperative

At an event on Capitol Hill last night in honor of the 93rd Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, Rep. Adam Schiff vowed to continue to lead efforts in Congress to recognize the Armenian Genocide, Mr Sean Oblack, spokesman for Rep. Schiff, said.
Rep. Schiff is the sponsor of "The Affirmation of the U.S. Record on the Armenian Genocide" resolution (H. Res. 106) which calls on the President to "ensure that the foreign policy of the United States reflects appropriate understanding of the Armenian Genocide" and to "accurately characterize the systematic and deliberate annihilation of 1,500,000 Armenians as genocide."
His remarks from last night’s event are below:
"I'm Congressman Adam Schiff and I’m very proud to represent one of the largest Armenian communities in the country. Ninety-three years ago, a million and a half people lost their lives for the simple reason that they were Armenian. It began with a round-up of intellectuals. It continued with forced marches in the desert; women and children, parents and grandparents, aunts and uncles perished. Whole families were lost.
Almost an entire people were lost.
"Ninety-three years later we still fight in the greatest democracy on earth to recognize the plain facts of what took place. We have witnesses; some of them are here today. There are fewer and fewer witnesses left, though, and while there are witnesses among us we have he strongest moral imperative to recognize what they went through and hat their families went through.
"We have the strongest moral imperative to call that loss exactly what it was - without equivocation, without mitigation - a genocide. And we will fight until we succeed. We have a moral imperative and we have a very practical imperative as well. And the practical imperative is this, although this genocide took place ninety-three years ago, there is also a genocide taking place today half-way around the world.
“And we cannot have the moral authority we need to stand up and ask the world to take action against that genocide if we don’t have the courage and the moral rectitude to recognize this genocide and indeed every genocide.
"So this must change, this will change, the fight will go on, we will prevail. I ask your help and God’s help that we prevail in time for the survivors to see justice done in their name."

President Awards Medals for Genocide Recognition

YEREVAN (Combined Sources)--Armenian President Serzh Sarkisian Tuesday awarded medals to individuals who have worked toward the international recognition of the Armenian Genocide, the Presidential Press Service reported.
    The award recipients were Russia's Yuri Barseghov of Russia for his two-volume book Armenian Genocide: Turkish Responsibility and International Accountability; and Yves Ternon for his significant work and dedication to the recognition of the Armenian Genocide.
    Roger Smith was awarded the Movses Khorenatsi medal for his work in garnering international recognition of the Armenian Genocide.
 

Reps. Royce, Sanchez Attend ANC-OC Genocide Commemorations

COSTA MESA, Calif.--Representatives Ed Royce (R-CA) and Loretta Sanchez (D-CA) Sunday attended Armenian Genocide commemoration events organized by the Armenian National Committee of Orange County.
    Rep. Royce was the keynote speaker in this morning's Second Annual Walk for Remembrance at St. Mary's Armenian Apostolic Church, organized by the Armenian National Committee of Orange County. Before a crowd of two hundred, Rep. Royce spoke of the horrific events surrounding the killing of 1.5 million Armenians and the deportations of 1.5 million Armenians from their homeland.
    "The US has long been a global leader in promoting human rights around the world," said Rep. Royce. "On the issue of the Armenian genocide, however, we lag behind. The French, Swiss, Swedish, Germans, and even the Russian governments recognize the Armenian genocide. It is imperative for the US to stand on principle and follow suit."
    "Congressman Royce is a great friend of the human rights community," stated ANCA-WR Executive Director Andrew Kzirian. "His participation demonstrates his commitment to ending the cycle of genocide - and the community greatly appreciates his leadership in the House of Representatives," he added.
    In addition to paying tribute to the atrocities of 1915-1923, Rep. Royce discussed how the world's strength to oppose killings today is made greater by accountability. "It's much harder to get tomorrow right if we get yesterday wrong," added Rep. Royce. The deafening silence that came in the wake of the Armenian genocide set the stage for a century that saw genocides occur in Europe, Africa, and Asia.
    As a Member of Congress, Rep. Royce has worked with Rep. Radanovich and Rep. Rogan to pass through the first Armenian genocide resolution through the House Foreign Affairs Committee. Most recently, he worked with Rep. Adam Schiff to have H.Res.106 brought before the Committee of Foreign Affairs, in hopes of having it brought to a full House vote.
    During a commemoration event following the Walk for Remembrance, Rep. Sanchez presented a declaration on her behalf to her constituents.
    Sanchez is a co-sponsor of H. Res. 106, the Armenian Genocide Resolution currently pending in Congress

April 28 2008

Armenian Genocide Commemoration Message by Nora Hovsepian, Esq. 

Let me tell you about a little Armenian girl named Vergine who lived with her parents and eight brothers and sisters in the City of Erzinga.

One day in the summer of 1915, Vergine witnessed her father and her uncle being beaten and axed to death in front of her eyes by Turkish gendarmes. Her mother and her aunt frantically gathered up all of their children, took them to the river nearby, said the “Hayr Mer” (Armenian prayer) together; and while they all held hands at the river’s edge, they threw themselves into the raging waters. All of them drowned, except little 9-year-old Vergine, who clung to the branch of a weeping willow tree overhanging the river, instinctively wanting to survive. Vergine was too young to understand why her family was dying around her. She was too young to understand the fear of being raped or enslaved by Turkish soldiers, but she was old enough to know that if she could just hold on a little longer to that hanging branch, then maybe she could be saved. She hung on for what seemed an eternity, until a friendly Kurdish family came to the river’s edge, saw her desperation, and rescued her.

They kept Vergine as a maid in their house for a few years until they finally handed her off to American missionaries who had come to the region trying to rescue lost souls. Vergine was taken to an American orphanage, and at the age of 14, was reunited with her two older brothers who had been in America for several years and who were frantically trying to find any surviving members of their large family. Vergine came to New York on a ship in 1920 and built her life there. She met and married another survivor of the Armenian Genocide, and she never told her only son or anyone else about the unspeakable horrors she had witnessed.

But then, in 1973, when Vergine heard the news that a 78-year-old Genocide survivor named Gourgen Yanikian had shot and killed two Turkish diplomats as revenge for the murders of his entire family, Vergine decided to tell her story to her oldest grandchild.

Vergine Djihanian Kalebdjian was my grandmother, and her oldest grandchild was me. At the age of 10, when I was being told my grandmother’s story, I could not even fathom what she had gone through at the same age, and until now, and for the rest of my life, I will never forget her story. I will tell her story to anyone who will listen, and I will use her story as a call to action to every Armenian who has a similar story to tell.

When people ask, “Why can’t you just let old wounds heal? Why dwell on the past and not look to the future?”, here is my response.

American author William Faulkner once wrote, “The past isn’t dead and buried. In fact, it isn’t even passed.” In our case, it isn’t even passed because the wound will not heal so long as the injustice continues. The reason we are still talking about the Armenian Genocide 93 years after April 24, 1915, when virtually all of the perpetrators are dead and gone and nearly all of our precious survivors are no longer with us, is because everything that has happened to the Armenian People since 1915 and until today can find its roots in the Genocide. The horrific pain it caused is renewed with each day of denial, when the truth is distorted, the lies are perpetuated, and their consequences shape the very nature of our individual and collective lives.

Just look around you. If it weren’t for the Genocide, there would be no large Armenian Diaspora created by Armenians being displaced and forced to relocate to foreign lands all over the world. It is certainly ironic that while the Turks tried to exterminate our nation, they inadvertently caused a dispersion of Armenians which, as if through some divine intervention, resulted in a Diasporan structure whose mission it became to seek justice for the crime against its People.

In fact, if you ask almost any Diasporan Armenian about his story, you will hear it – the Armenian Story of the last four generations, each generation using the capabilities and means of its time to promote the Armenian Cause.

Starting with my grandparents’ generation, which had no choice but to leave behind all they had known to emigrate to foreign shores just to survive, the Armenian Diaspora developed out of a desire to maintain the heritage that would otherwise have been lost to the world forever with a history that no one – least of all the Young Turks – had the right, or for that matter, the ability, to extinguish.

And through it all, for the first 50 years, that generation of survivors did not dwell on the past. They did not talk to their children about their unspeakable trauma because it was too painful to remember and relive. But they did raise their children as good and patriotic Armenians while teaching them to be good citizens; they taught them to speak Armenian in the home, they kept the traditions alive, they took them to church, and they urged them to marry other Armenians to avoid assimilating and losing their “Armenian-ness.” How many times have we all heard from our grandparents, “Hayeren khosetsek” (speak Armenian). This was the way they found to survive and to pass on their heritage to all of us who came after them.

Then, in 1965, fifty years after the Genocide, when the Diasporan communities of survivors and their families had established themselves and there was no longer a struggle simply to stay alive, there was a reawakening of sorts in the second generation, the generation of my parents, the children of Genocide survivors, who felt more secure and more empowered to seek justice for the crime against their People.

A decade later in the 1970’s and into the 1980’s, the third generation, the grandchildren of Genocide survivors and my generation, felt that not enough had been done to promote the Cause they had inherited, and many of them resorted to whatever ways they felt effective to express their frustration and to seek justice for our nation, sometimes sacrificing their lives or their freedom along the way. Others, with the power of their education and the fact that they no longer felt like foreigners in the countries to which their grandparents had immigrated, lobbied their adopted governments to hold Turkey responsible and organized protests and media drives to convey their message.

And finally, the fourth generation, that of our children, the youth, the students, has now inherited the obligations placed upon each of us by our martyrs. Though most of them have never had the privilege of sitting down with a Genocide survivor, they feel the pain as we have always felt it, because as so wisely stated by French philosopher Ernest Renan in 1882, “Suffering in common unifies more than joy does. Where national memories are concerned, griefs are of more value than triumphs, for they impose duties, and require a common effort.”

Will the generation of our children feel its own sense of duty to continue the fight for justice while preserving Armenian history, language, tradition and culture? Time will tell. It is true that many of them do feel the magnetic pull of our young independent Republic of Armenia and are eager to participate in any way they can. They tend to be more optimistic toward the future, as they know that they can continue the path upon which their parents and grandparents embarked, while using more modern and effective tools to convey our message and to achieve the ultimate goal for which we all continue to strive.

I don’t know how many of you were here in this hall last night, when members of the Armenian Youth Federation so eloquently said in their presentation, that their generation is both the bridge to the past and the gateway to the future. Isn’t this in fact true with any new generation? Even though they struggle with the temptation to assimilate into the easier life, many of them still instinctively feel their duty toward their People and are prepared to fulfill it.

But at the same time, while we are on the campus of this Armenian-American school (Holy Martyrs Ferrahian High School) far, far away from our homeland, and we are proud of the fact that it has shaped the Armenian character of so many of its students, we cannot help but lament the fact that so many others in the Diaspora have been lost and assimilated along the way. Tragically, this is just another chapter in the process of Genocide and in many ways can be slowed but not avoided entirely, especially as our history becomes more remote and less urgent for our youth.

It is true that in the 93 years since 1915 and through four generations in the Diaspora, we have succeeded in keeping the issue alive. We have evolved from survival to activism. We have achieved a free and independent Armenia which, in partnership with the organized Diaspora whose existence is the direct result of the Genocide, can now act as the legitimate and legal representative of the Armenian Nation in resolving the issue of the Genocide. But we have not yet been entirely successful in formulating the issue in such a way as to achieve a just conclusion. And we are not the only ones struggling with this dilemma.

Ironically, just as we face our dilemma of how to keep our issue alive in the face of inevitable time and assimilation, so too must Turkey face its own dilemma of how to reconcile with its past in the face of mounting pressure in order to maintain respect within the international community and to become a good neighbor in the region.

Turkey deals with this dilemma by desecrating any remaining proof of a historical Armenian presence in its eastern regions and distracting the world by creating an artificial debate as to whether the Genocide is a historical truth, but we must go beyond that by focusing attention on the real debate:

How can Turkey atone for its crimes against the Armenian People and humanity in a manner which promotes justice without hindering the process before it begins?

 Of course, Turkey has fought consistently against framing the debate in this manner because it knows that the consequences of doing so could potentially be severe. Yet it must do so if it truly wants to be accepted as a secular democratic nation. It must face its truth and all its consequences; it must normalize relations with its Armenian neighbors; and it must stop trying to intimidate its allies.

To start, Turkey must repeal its law criminalizing the mere mention of Genocide. It must not tolerate the silencing of such outspoken critics as Hrant Dink (Journalist of Armenian descent assassinated in Istanbul, Turkey). It must cease to imprison its own Turkish scholars who call for recognition. And on an international scale, it must cease to make threats against its allies such as France for taking the bold step of legislating the truth or against the United States for considering passage of the Genocide Resolution.

Next, though no amount of regret or apology can ultimately right the wrong, it can at least pave the way for Turkey to settle its debts in a more civil manner. Even in my own work as an attorney, I frequently tell clients who sue those responsible for the death of a loved one that nothing can bring that person back or reverse what has happened, but that holding a person responsible for his wrongdoing is the only way the law has to compensate the victim and to try to dispense justice. It is never enough, but it is often all that can be done.

Instead of taking these conciliatory first steps, however, Turkey chooses to spend millions of dollars each year, hires lobbyists against us, bribes our former friends like Dick Gephardt to join its side, and engages in a massive ad campaign to decry its innocence. Even on an official visit when Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan recently came to Washington with the specific mission to intimidate Congress into killing the Genocide Resolution, he arrogantly proclaimed, “There is no such thing as a genocide,” despite long-standing and universally accepted conclusions to the contrary.  

Turkey knows, of course, that the world’s condemnation of its crime against humanity in the post-World War I era resulted in international treaties requiring it to surrender land to Armenia, treaties which were unenforced but for which there is a clear precedent even today.

Turkey knows that the newly-independent Republic of Armenia along its eastern border will be significantly strengthened if these penalties are enforced, and that a strong Armenian state will hinder its dream of an uninterrupted Turkic society over vast territories from Turkey to Azerbaijan and beyond. Just look at any world map, and you will see. The same pan-Turkic general plan that drove the Young Turks to try to exterminate the Christian Armenian nation which stood in its way still exists today. The same pan-Turkic plan is behind the current blockade by Turkey and Azerbaijan of Armenia and Artsakh (Republic of Nagorno Karabagh), still trying today to choke our nation out of existence with impunity.

These are the reasons why Turkey goes to such lengths to deny the truth despite its argument that the issue is no longer important and should be forgotten after 93 years.

Unfortunately, despite the undisputed U.S. role as the world’s sole remaining superpower, our own U.S. Government in many ways has failed to exert pressure on its Turkish ally in this quest for what is right. It has surrendered its moral authority and historical precedent to Turkish threats.

Did you know, for example, that the United States officially established the truth of Turkey’s genocidal plan in 1920, reaffirmed this conclusion through a United Nations resolution in 1946, adopted a joint Congressional resolution recognizing the Armenian Genocide in 1975, issued a presidential proclamation in 1981 acknowledging it again, reaffirmed the fact in 1984, and penalized Turkey by reducing U.S. aid in 1996 until it acknowledged the Genocide?

And yet, despite all of these historical precedents, recent U.S. Administrations have adopted a contradictory policy not grounded in truth, but influenced by politics. For this reason, President George W. Bush, on the one hand, publicly calls on Congress to stop “wasting time” sorting out Ottoman history when it has more pressing matters to address, but on the other hand, orders his State Department to fire a decorated career diplomat in the person of John Evans from his post as U.S. Ambassador to Armenia, to erase a lengthy career of service to this nation, simply for uttering the word “genocide.”

There is a level of hypocrisy there that is too deep to describe. The U.S. Government has been so afraid of offending its ally that it sinks to denying its own affirmations of the truth and offending its loyal citizens of Armenian descent. It falls victim to Turkey’s threats to deny access to its military bases or air space, to Turkey’s lack of assistance in the war on terror, and it closes its blind eye to Turkey’s continued blockade of Armenia and its assistance to Azerbaijan against Artsakh.

 As American citizens, we can and should use our rights to influence change in this flawed U.S. policy. We can get involved at every level in elections to support those who support us, we can lobby our legislative bodies to take action, and we can participate in formulating public opinion through the media. We must show them that we can be a reliable ally in a volatile region both to the United States and the West, and that we are committed to democratic principles in the newly-independent Armenian Republic and in the region. This is the strength of our position, and we in the Diaspora must use it to our advantage.

Fortunately, we do have strong allies in our elected representatives from Adam Schiff to Brad Sherman, the late Tom Lantos, Radanovich to Ensign, Menendez to Pallone, Knollenberg to Durbin, and yes, to Barack Obama and others who we dare to hope will not succumb to these arrogant and empty threats, because they know, as we all know, that Turkey needs the U.S. much, much more than the U.S. needs Turkey, and they know, as reaffirmed in House Resolution 106, that the crime against humanity in eliminating more than 1.5 million inhabitants from their homeland of over 2,500 years was nothing less than Genocide.

We should work with our supporters to make sure that our government does not become an accomplice to Turkey’s denial, because as renowned genocide scholar Israel Charny has written, “Denial is the final stage of genocide, as it seeks to demonize the victims and rehabilitate the perpetrators.” In this case, the perpetrators can only be rehabilitated by acknowledging the truth and accepting the consequences.

So you see, this is why we can’t let old wounds heal. This is why even now, even those of us who were born and raised in the Diaspora, when visiting our Armenian homeland, we somehow feel at home, we somehow feel the weight on our shoulders of our martyrs’ call for justice, we feel the duty to support our Nation.

Many of you may ask what you can possibly do to help this effort. Many of you may think that our goals are improbable if not impossible. I ask you: Who among us would have ever thought we would see a free and independent Armenia during our lifetime? Who among us would ever have thought we would witness the fall of the mighty Soviet Union? And who among us, having witnessed these momentous events in our history, cannot see the light at the end of the tunnel with a free, independent, and above all, united Armenia?

So if you continue to believe in the probability of our success, here is my suggestion: think of it as your debt to your People. Think of it as your obligation, the dues you have to pay. Just as we account each year to the Internal Revenue Service for our taxes, so should we each account to ourselves as to what we have done or will do to help in any small way to promote our cause, the Armenian Cause. So continue to attend community events such as this one where we mourn our martyrs, pray for their souls, and pay our respects with monuments and gatherings and speeches. But in doing so, recognize that our obligations to them do not stop there. Our obligations to them do not stop because we finally have a free and independent Armenia. Our obligations to them do not stop because it has been 93 years since the Genocide. No, our obligations began the day the Genocide ended with those who survived and when the Turkish plan to exterminate our Nation failed. Our obligations have continued for the last 93 years and will continue until justice is achieved.

So pay your debt with your time, your commitment, your money, your dedication, your sacrifice, anything you can. Join an organization, whether it is political, cultural, educational, athletic, religious, or social. Spread the word of our Cause to anyone who will listen. Guide the youth to carry the banner of our struggle. Lobby your elected representatives to support recognition of the Armenian Genocide by lifting the gag rule placed on the U.S. Government by its supposed Turkish ally. Express your gratitude and support to those who help us. Fight for justice, fight for recognition and reparation, fight for our homeland, and above all, do whatever you can, whenever you can, to fight for our noble Cause.

Burbank AYF joins with Burbank ANC to commemorate the 93rd Anniversary of The Armenian Genocide

The Armenian Youth Federation (AYF) Burbank Chapter is taking over the major duties this year from the Armenian National Committee (ANC) of Burbank in organizing the commemoration  of the 1915 to 1923 Armenian Genocide, which left 1.5 million Armenians dead and 500,000 more ethnically-cleansed from their ancestral homeland.
On Tuesday, April 22 at 6 PM, Burbank AYF chairman Shunt Jarshafdjian will accept a proclamation from Burbank Mayor Marsha Ramos, at the beginning of the city's weekly council meeting.
Jarshafdjian will be joined by fellow AYF members Ovsana Khodabakhsh and  Raffi Prudian, as well as Burbank ANC member Vahe Shahinian.
After the presentation by Mayor Ramos commemorating the victims of the brutal genocide perpetuated by the Turkish Government, there will be an
8 PM candlelight vigil on the steps of Burbank City Hall, in memory of the innocent men, women and children who were murdered from 1915 to 1923.
Members from an Armenian-American scouting organization, the Homenetmen Sipan Chapter of Burbank, will officially kick-off the candlelight vigil with the presentation of the colors and the flag salute.
Speaking at the candlelight vigil will be Hovan Tashjian of the Armenian Cultural Foundation (ACF) of Burbank and AYF Central Executive Casper Jivalagian.
There will also be a poetry reading accompanied by the playing of a duduk.

Violation of Armenian Rights in Holy Sepulchre on Palm Sunday

JERUSALEM , ISRAEL

On Sunday, April 20, 2008 a scuffle took place between Armenian and Greek worshippers during the procession in the Church of Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem on Orthodox Palm Sunday. The scuffle broke out when one of the Greek Orthodox monks entered the Edicule (Tomb of Christ) during the procession of the Armenians.  This is a violation of the Status Quo terms by the Greeks. As a result, Armenian priests forcibly ejected the Greek priest from the Tomb of Christ. The Israeli police briefly detained two members of the Armenian community of Jerusalem . Mr. Serop Sahagian, a community leader, and his son, were taken to the Police Station near the Armenian Quarter of Jerusalem.

The incident took place amid the rising tension between the Armenians and Greeks over the Status Quo issue in Holy Sepulcher. On the 16^th of March, 2008, the Armenian procession in Church of Holy Sepulchre was interrupted when a Greek monk entered the Edicule, violating the terms of the Status Quo. In reaction to this violation, the Chairman of the Status Quo Committee of the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem sent a letter of protest on the 16^th of April to the Greek Patriarchate of Jerusalem. The letter reiterated that the Armenian Patriarchate had clearly stated in the past that the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate must refrain from placing a Greek monk inside the Edicule during Armenian processions when Armenians are in possession of the Tomb of Christ.  The letter requested a written apology from the Greeks for disrupting the Armenian procession on the Armenian Feast of the Discovery of the Holy Cross on Sunday, November 11, 2007. The letter stated that the interruptions by posting a Greek monk in the Edicule constitute “a material and unprecedented violation of the Armenian rights and privileges in the Holy Sites.” The letter concluded by stating that the “well established and undisputed rights of the Armenians, to an exclusive presence inside the Edicule on the above mentioned occasions, for performing their ceremonies uninterruptedly, without any interference or presence of others, that has been recognized, practiced and preserved so far, remains unquestionable and indisputable, as one of the foundations of the Status Quo of the Holy Places.” Unfortunately, the letter was ignored by the Greek Patriarchate, thus leading to the increased tension by both sides.

Father Norayr Kazazian, who was present during the ceremony today, said in an interview that the Greek monk was taken out by force by the Armenian priests because his actions were a serious violation of the rights of the Armenians in the Holy Site. The situation intensified when the Israeli police interfered by physically forcing the Armenians to allow the Greek monk to enter the Edicule, which is in direct contradiction to the terms of the Status Quo. The same day, Micky Rosenfeld, the Israeli Police spokesman, told Reuters that the Israeli Police were on the scene ahead of time to prevent any arguments or disturbances from erupting.  Father Kazazian expressed extreme indignation and frustration in regards to the Israeli police’s actions and their failure to uphold the centuries old terms of the Status Quo. The failure by the Israeli police to uphold the terms of the Status Quo infuriated the Armenian worshipers. Community leader Serop Sahagian, along with young Armenian worshippers, interfered to prevent the Israeli police from taking action against the Armenian priests. “Suddenly a policeman came to me and wanted to arrest me along with other youth who were present at the scene,” said Sahagian. Sahagian, who adamantly refused to be subjected to any arrest inside Holy Sepulchre, was detained briefly along with his son near the Armenian Quarter of Jerusalem. Mr. Sahagian mentioned that the Israeli Police were photographing Armenian youth who were present during the scuffle.   Some anticipate that specific Armenian youth who were photographed by the Israeli Police will be prevented from enter Holy Sepulchre during the Holy Fire Ceremony next Saturday, which is considered to be the height of the Easter ceremonies. “The Armenian community is extremely concerned about the upcoming Holy Fire Ceremony at Holy Sepulchre.  In particular, we are worried by the failure and insensitivity of the Israeli Police to enforce the Status Quo and uphold the rights of the Armenians in Holy Sepulchre” lamented Fr. Kazazian.  Hundreds of Armenian worshippers from Jerusalem and throughout the world are expected at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher for the upcoming Holy Fire Ceremony.

Armenia says, Azerbaijan has lost Karabakh for ever

YEREVAN, April 16 (Reuters) - Azerbaijan must accept that its breakaway Nagorno-Karabakh region is an independent republic that will never be returned to Azeri control, Armenia's president said on Wednesday.
Nagorno-Karabakh, in the Caucasus mountains, broke away from Azerbaijan as the Soviet Union fell apart, sparking a war which killed about 35,000 people. A ceasefire was agreed in 1994 but the search for a lasting peace is stalled.
The region's ethnic Armenian separatists run their own affairs, with support from Armenia. The region has declared its independence from Azerbaijan, but this has not been recognized by any state.
"Azerbaijan must understand the simple reality that the existence of the republic of Nagorno-Karabakh's independence is irreversible," President Serzh Sarksyan, who was sworn in this month, said in comments supplied by his press service.
"It is impossible to even imagine that the Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh could be subordinate in any way to Azerbaijan," said Sarksyan, who is a native of the region.
"The people of Nagorno-Karabakh have won their right to a free and independent life. And through our efforts, that right must be recognized by the international community."
Azerbaijan says Armenia has illegally occupied Nagorno-Karabakh, and a number of Azeri districts surrounding the region.
Baku, which announced a 53 percent rise in military spending this month, says it is committed to stalled peace talks but has refused to rule out using force to restore its control.
Azerbaijan and Armenia are still officially at war and their troops frequently fight skirmishes along a heavily mined front line. Up to 16 soldiers were killed in a clash earlier last month.
 

Congressman Presses State Department Official On Azeri Threats to Attack Karabakh

WASHINGTON--A senior State Department official came under intense questioning Friday  over the Administration's unwillingness to confront Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev's escalating threats to launch his nation's growing military arsenal against Nagorno Karabakh "at any time," reported the Armenian National Committee of America.
    Representative Chris Smith's questioning took place during a hearing called by the Congressional Commission for Security and Cooperation in Europe (US Helsinki Commission) to examine the impact of the recent Armenian elections on the Nagorno Karabakh conflict and the overall state

of US-Armenia relations. A leading Congressional voice on foreign policy and an energetic defender of human rights, the New Jersey legislator pressed Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Matt Bryza to explain the State Department's response to threats of renewed Azerbaijani aggression, which he quoted from at length for the benefit of his colleagues, the panel of witnesses, and a standing-room only audience gathered for the hearing.
    Noting that Azerbaijani "war drums are beating," he explained that it was only natural for Armenians to take a defensive position against a potential "sucker punch" from Azerbaijan. He asked, pointedly, "what clear and totally broadcast in advance penalty would Azerbaijan suffer if it initiated hostilities?"
    Bryza, who devoted the bulk of his testimony to the elections and the overall state of democracy in Armenia, sidestepped Congressman Smith's question, choosing instead to speak in broad terms about US mediation efforts.
    "In terms of penalty, I wouldn't want to speculate on that because all the various scenarios are so unpredictable. What I can say is that any resumption of armed hostility in and around Karabakh would be tragic--tragic for everybody. Absolute disaster. Who the heck knows what the outcome would be of the fighting, but as I said before, I think any fighting would lead to the perpetuation of the current situation."
    Bryza noted that Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chair Joe Knollenberg (R-MI) had on several occasions impressed upon him the importance of the US forcefully challenging Azerbaijan's war rhetoric. Calling portions of the border between Nagorno Karabakh and Azerbaijan a "Caucasus Hiroshima," he noted that he shared Representative Smith's concern regarding regional tension and noted that both the Armenian and Azerbaijani Presidents were scheduled to hold Nagorno Karabakh talks in the near future.
    Also testifying alongside Bryza, were Vigen Sargsian, a senior assistant to the President of Armenia, Serge Sarkisian, and Arman Grigorian, a spokesman for former Armenian President Levon Ter-Petrosian who teaches at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia. The hearing was chaired by Congressman Alcee Hastings (D-FL) and included the participation of the Commission's Co-Chairman, Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD).
    Sargsian welcomed the interest shown by Armenia's Congressional friends in the elections and, in his remarks, placed the recent difficulties in the broader context of the growing US-Armenia relationship and the steady progress of Armenia's democratic development. He updated the Commission on the steps toward reconciliation underway in Armenia and invited outside assistance for inquiries into the unrest.
    "At their heart," he pointed out, "the challenges we are confronted with today have less to do with the conduct or even the outcome of the February 19th elections--which, while imperfect, reflected the will of the Armenian electorate--and more to do with efforts by an element of the opposition that, having lost at the ballot box, sought to challenge this outcome through illegal and ultimately extra-constitutional means."
    Grigorian, in his remarks, offered a sweeping indictment of the Armenian government and the conduct of the elections, setting conditions for President Ter-Petrosian's willingness to engage in dialogue with four of the five major Armenian political parties that have entered into a broad-based coalition agreement.
"We understand that we will have to negotiate with the regime, even if we do not and will not accept its legitimacy... They must come to terms with the idea that the dismantling of the current kleptocratic system, in one way or another, will have to be the purpose of these negotiations, or the negotiations will have no purpose."

Aid to Armenia in Danger

On March 4th, Azerbaijan attacked northeastern Artsakh in the worst cease-fire violation in over a decade.  This assault came in the wake of mounting Azerbaijani threats of renewed war, including a chilling warning by President Ilham Aliev to Armenians to either live under Azerbaijani rule or get out!

Despite this attack and Azerbaijan's continued threats, President Bush is proposing to increase military aid to Azerbaijan while cutting economic assistance to Armenia by nearly 60%.

Call your Members of Congress today to defend Artsakh (Nagorno Karabagh) by supporting pro-Armenian provisions in the Fiscal Year 2009 (FY09) foreign aid bill.

What You Can Do:

1)  CALL your Representative TODAY (Adam Schiff)!  Ask friends and family to do the same.
Please call Congressman Schiff at 202-225-4176 and express your views.                                 

Click Here to View Sample Message for Congressman Adam Schiff.

Because Congressman Schiff sits on the important Foreign Operations Subcommittee he has considerable power to make the difference. 

YOUR call will help push back against the Bush Administration's desire to cut aid to Armenia and Artsakh, and militarily arm Azerbaijan.

2)  CALL House Foreign Operations Subcommittee Chair Nita Lowey (D-NY) at (202) 225-6506 and Senate Foreign Operations Subcommittee Chair Patrick Leahy (D-VT) at (202) 224-4242    
Click Here to View Sample Message for Chairpersons Nita Lowey and Pat Leahy.

3)  After you've made your calls, visit the ANCA website to send a free WebFax.It takes less than 2 minutes.http://anca.org/action_alerts/actionalerts.php?aaid=115

For more information and briefing materials:
Visit http://anca.org/action_alerts/actionalerts.php?aaid=115

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact either Kate Nahapetian or Raffi Karakashian at (202) 775-1918.

Genocide Commemorative Events in Glendale

SUNDAY, APRIL 20, 2008
ANNUAL BLOOD DRIVE
10:00a.m.-4:00p.m.
St. Mary's Armenian Church

500 S. Central Ave., Glendale, CA

Hosted by the Armenian National Committee - Glendale Chapter in collaboration with the Armenian Relief Society - Sepan Chapter,

City of Glendale - Week of Remembrance Committee and the American Red Cross.

To schedule a blood donation appointment call 818.243.3444 or go to www.givelife.org and enter sponsor code: stmarysarmenian.

MONDAY, APRIL 21, 2008

MAN'S INHUMANITY TO MAN

6:00p.m.
Glendale Central Library Auditorium
222 E. Harvard St. Glendale, CA

Hosted by the City of Glendale.  Speakers for the evening will include: Dennis Doyle, Ramela Grigorian, Roger Bowerman, REV. Berdj Djambazian.
TUESDAY, APRIL 22, 2008

8th ANNUAL ARMENIAN GENOCIDE REMEMBRANCE PROGRAM

Doors Open at  6:30 p.m.
Event Starts at 7:00 p.m.
Glendale High School Auditorium

1440 Broadway, Glendale, CA
Presented by the GUSD High School Armenian Clubs from:  Clark Magnet High School, Crescenta Valley High School, Glendale High School, Hoover High School & a special presentations by Elementary School Students (D & M Education).  Each school will contribute a portion to the assembly, ranging from guest singers and poetry readings to video presentations and traditional dances.

THURSDAY, APRIL 24, 2008

ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

6:00p.m.
Alex Theater 

216 N. Brand Blvd., Glendale, CA
Hosted by the City of Glendale. Keynote Speaker: Carla Garapedian (Director and Producer of the documentary "Screamers)  Artistic Program Produced by Artists for Kids; Performances by: Gegham Grigoryan, Mikael Avetisyan Chamber Orchestra, Jivan Gasparian Jr. 

Tickets are available at the Alex Theater Box Office.

ARMENIAN GENOCIDE COMMEMORATIVE EVENT

8:00pm
Glendale Civic Auditorium

1401 N. Verdugo Rd., Glendale, CA

Hosted by the Armenian Genocide United Commemorative Committee.  Program will include guest speakers and cultural performances

ARF Says Sarkisian's Program Hinges on Changes

YEREVAN (Armenpress)-Armenian President Serzh Sarkisian's plans for reform will not materialize unless comprehensive changes are made in the composition of the government, a senior member of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation's faction in parliament told reporters on Wednesday.
    The initial steps toward forming the new government seem promising and the president seems to be taking the right steps, ARF Parliamentary Faction Secretary Artashes Shahbazian said.
    The ARF shares the views, which are also expressed by other high-ranking officials in the Armenian Government, that Armenia needs to undergo fundamental reform, Shahbazian said. The ARF of Armenia believes this is possible and is ready to share reasonability with the coalition government to ensure the necessary changes are made.   
    Sarkisian's recent statements that the new government must only be composed of qualified ministers inspires hope, he noted, adding that political and economic monopolies must be brought to an end.
    "There is a new reality in our country," he said. "The authorities can not ignore the social demands facing the country and are beginning to adapt in order to solve the country's existing problems."
    In other news, Sarkisian Wednesday appointing Colonel-General Michael Harutyunyan as Chief Military Inspector of the President of the Republic of Armenia. A second decree signed by the president appointed Harutyunyan to the post of Presidential Adviser.

Rice Urges Political Will to Settle Karabakh Conflict

WASHINGTON (Combined Sources)--US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice Tuesday called on the Armenian and Azeri governments to summon up the political will to settle the Nagorno-Karabakh issue. Rice said the long-running conflict is holding back both countries.
    Rice said the Nagorno-Karabakh dispute is adversely affecting the interests of both Armenia and Azerbaijan and could be resolved quickly, with a little bit of political will by the two principals.
    Asked about the conflict in an appearance before the American-Turkish Council in Washington, Rice said Minsk Group diplomats have been close to getting an agreement on several occasions, and that it is time for the parties to make the hard choices needed to finally end the conflict:
    "It needs to be done. I have made the case to both the Armenian government and the Azeri government that they are falling behind the rest of the region because they will not resolve this conflict between them. And frankly there is plenty of, if you wish to use the word, blame to go around on both sides. This could be done if there is political will, and it ought to. It ought to be done," he said.
    In conjunction with Rice's remarks, the State Department issued a fact sheet Tuesday reiterating that the United States does not recognize Nagorno-Karabakh as an independent country, supports the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, and holds that the future status of the region is to be settled through negotiations.
    It reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to the Minsk process and said cooperation among the three co-chairs is excellent.
    Rice also commended Turkey's government for seeking to revise a law that limits free speech, but urged it also to protect the rights of religious minorities.
    Rice encouraged Turkey to stay true to democratic secular principles.
    "We commend Prime Minister (Tayyip) Erdogan for stating recently that parliament will amend Article 301 of the Turkish penal code, which criminalizes insulting Turkishness," she said.
    "Expressing one's belief is not an insult to the state, it is one of the highest forms of citizenship," Rice said.
    Turkish government officials acknowledge the law has embarrassed Turkey abroad, but reform has been delayed several times because of opposition from nationalists.
    Rice said Turkey should also respect the rights of religious groups such as its Greek Orthodox community by allowing a training college for priests shut down in the 1970s to reopen.
    "We continue to encourage Turkey to recognize and protect the civil rights of all religious and ethnic groups, such as by reopening the Ecumenical Patriarch's Halki seminary as a vocational school," she said.
    Rice also said she was following closely a prosecutor's attempt to ban Turkey's ruling AK party for alleged Islamist activities.
    "We believe and hope this will be decided within Turkey's secular democratic context and by secular democratic principles," she said.
Turkey has been locked in a political crisis since a chief prosecutor in March asked the Constitutional Court to shut down the AK Party and ban its leaders, including Erdogan, from politics for five years.
    Erdogan, whose party has roots in political Islam and was re-elected last year, says he does not expect the party will be closed down, but the case has rattled investors and prompted concern in the European Union, which Turkey hopes to join.
    Rice said Washington continued to "strongly" support Turkey's EU bid.
    Meanwhile, Turkish warplanes hit an area in northern Iraq where a group of Kurdish rebels was trying to infiltrate Turkey, the military said Wednesday.
    The aircraft attacked the Kurds in the Avasin-Basyan region of northern Iraq, near the Turkish border town of Cukurca, the Turkish military said.
    The military said the Kurdish group was "rendered ineffective," a euphemism generally used to refer to killed rebels. But in Wednesday's statement, it was unclear if there were any casualties.

Cyprus Parliament to commemorate Armenian Genocide victims

 Like every year after their arrival in Cyprus as Genocide survivors, the Armenian community of Cyprus is preparing to commemorate the reason why they ended up in Cyprus almost 90 years ago.
The highlight of the series of events in the capital - under the auspices of the President of the House of Representatives Marios Garoyian - is the political meeting featuring PASOK MP and former Defense Minister Akis Tzokatsopoulos on Wednesday April 23.
The following day on Thursday 24 April, the community will march along Armenia street, leading up to the Genocide Memorial where a Vigil will be held, while the Armenian youth will set up a big screen on Eleftheria Square and will distribute informative leaflets to passers-by.
On Thursday 17 April at 4:00 pm, during the session of the Cyprus Parliament, commemorating the Armenian Genocide, Armenian representative in the Cyprus Parliament Vartkes Mahdessian will address the House. The entrance to the public during the commemoration is open to all community members, Gibrahayer.com reports.

Armenian Genocide victims to be commemorated in Netherlands

The April 24 Committee of the Federation Armenian Organizations of the Netherlands (FAON) is planning a ceremony of commemoration of the Armenian Genocide victims.
The program includes laying of wreaths at the Armenian Genocide monument at the Cemetery "De Boskamp" in Assen, Commemorative Ceremony followed by a meeting in the auditorium of the cemetery with artistic performances and speeches by, among others: Mrs. E. Wiegman, Dutch MP of Christian Union Faction, Prof. Dr. J. Weitenberg, Armenologist at the Leiden University and Mr. A. Manoukian, the consul of Armenia in the Netherlands.

Turkey “not worried” about Armenian Genocide discussions in Knesset

Turkey ‘is not worried’ about the Armenian Genocide discussions in the Israeli Knesset, said the President of the Center for Eurasian Strategic Studies.
“Attempts to push such resolutions in the Knesset were repeatedly made but they all proved vain. Turkey and Israel are partners in many fields. I don’t think that the Knesset will arrive at a positive decision on the issue,” Farouk Lologlu said, 1news.az reports.
On 26 March, the Knesset decided to bring the Armenian Genocide issue into discussion in one of parliamentary panels. Zeev Elkin of Kadima offered to debate in the committee on education and culture while Joseph Shagal insisted on discussions in committee on external affairs and defense.
Some Turkish politicians apprehend tensions in the Israeli-Turkish relations.

West Valley April 24th Events

Double Standards In Condoleezza Rice's Approach To Armenia

Higher Court Rejects Embattled TV’s Claim in Tower Dispute

Armenia’s Appeals Court on Monday sustained the verdict of the lower court on an independent regional TV’s parent company’s claim to retain a tower that ensures its transmission.
The ruling still leaves the Gyumri-based GALA TV company an option to turn to the Court of Cassation, but also in practice allows Gyumri’s municipality, which asserted its ownership right to the TV tower last November, to ask bailiffs to step in to enforce the decision.
GALA TV Executive Director Karine Harutiunian told RFE/RL that the verdict was not a surprise to them and said they were ready to seek an overturn of the decision also at the Court of Cassation and by further applying to the European Court of Human Rights.
Ara Sarkisian, the chief of the Legal Department at Gyumri’s Municipality, effectively rejected the lingering concerns that the decision might be the continuation of the government actions against GALA, an independent TV that provided coverage to Armenia’s opposition in the pre- and post-election periods, and said that they did not demand that the company vacate the premises earlier because they got the certificate proving their ownership right to the tower only in November 2007 and therefore could turn to court only at that time.
But Harutiunian insisted that for years they had made inquiries as to who was the owner of the TV tower, but never received a reply to their inquiries from the municipality. She said the amount of rent the municipality asked for during negotiations preceding the announcement of the verdict by the lower court – about $650 a month – was a huge sum of money for the provincial TV company to pay, especially that it did not cover expenses connected with the maintenance of the transmitter, electricity and other expenses.
“Companies using other TV towers pay a maximum of $450-$500 and this payment also covers all maintenance operations on the transmitter,” Harutiunian said. “There are many places in the city where people of goodwill have offered us to rent premises for the transmitter. Besides, there are different means to continue on the air.”
Last month GALA avoided an immediate closure owing to an unprecedented popular fund-raising campaign that helped it pay a hefty fine imposed by the court.
The television company has been facing uncertain future ever since it broke ranks to air a September speech by former President Levon Ter-Petrosian which contained harsh criticism of Armenia’s government.
Tax officials raided the offices of the small station and inspected its books in late October. They claimed to have found more than $80,000 in unpaid taxes, asking a local court to force GALA’s parent company, Chap, to pay the sum. The company denied wrongdoing and said the case had been fabricated in retaliation for its decision to provide airtime to the opposition.

ARMENIA-NKR INTERPARLIAMENTARY COOPERATION COMMITTEE

TO SIT IN STEPANAKERT APRIL 18

The Armenia-NKR interparliamentary cooperation committee will sit in Stepanakert on April 18. The date was fixed during a working meeting of heads of standing parliamentary committees under presidency of NKR NA speaker Ashot Ghulian. The participants discussed the items on the agenda and other organizational issues, IA Regnum reports.

RESOLUTION CONDEMNING DINK ASSASSINATION CO-SPONSORED BY 59 CONGRESSMEN

A congressional resolution condemning the assassination of Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink, gained additional support as Representatives Michelle Bachmann (R-MN), Charles Gonzales (D-TX), Zack Space (D-OH) and Tim Walberg (R-MI) signed on as the bill’s latest cosponsors, the Armenian Assembly of America said. The lawmakers added their support following meetings with the Armenian Assembly in Washington, bringing the current number of cosponsor to 59. They join Representatives Jerry F. Costello (D-IL), Anna Eshoo (D-CA), Stephen Lynch (D-MA), Edward Markey (D-MA), Collin C. Peterson (D-MN), Ed Royce (R-CA), Paul Ryan (R-WI), John Sarbanes (D-MD), Loretta Sanchez (D-CA), and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) who have added their names to the list of supporters in recent months, calling on Congress to adopt H. Res. 102. The Assembly-backed bill, introduced last January by Congressman Joseph Crowley (D-NY), condemns Dink’s murder, honors his legacy and calls on Turkey to take appropriate action to protect freedom of speech by repealing Article 301 of the Turkish penal code. “I am proud to cosponsor this resolution and help to ensure that the life and legacy of Hrant Dink are not forgotten,” Bachmann said. “I applaud the Assembly in their efforts to support America’s Armenian community.” The Assembly appreciates the growing bipartisan support for this important human rights legislation,” said Bryan Ardouny, Executive Director of the Armenian Assembly. “Hrant Dink was a law-abiding citizen who believed in democratic ideals and peaceful change. It is only fitting that in his memory, Congress take a strong stand against Turkey’s inexplicable use of Article 301 to indict citizens for openly discussing the Armenian Genocide.” Dink’s life was violently taken in broad daylight, in front of his office at Agos, the newspaper he founded and directed since 1996. An outspoken advocate for democratic reform, he stood trial several times for his public comments on the genocide and was convicted in October 2005 for “insulting Turkishness” under Article 301. H. Res. 102 is currently pending before the House Foreign Affairs Committee. Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Joseph R. Biden, Jr. (D-DE) introduced a similar measure in the Senate last February, which passed on March 29, 2007. The Biden resolution condemns Dink’s assassination and urges Turkey to take appropriate action to protect freedom of speech by repealing Article 301.

President's Assistant to Speak at US Helsinki Commission Hearing in DC

YEREVAN, WASHINGTON--Assistant to Armenian President Serzh Sarkisian will speak at hearings on the “Armenia after the Elections” to be held at the US Helsinki Commission on April 17.
 Vigen Sargsyan will represent the Armenian government at the hearing, which will focus on the ramifications of post-election developments for Armenia and the United States, especially the ongoing Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe negotiations on Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia s qualifications for assistance from the Millennium Challenge Account.
 US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Matthew Bryza and Arman Grigoryan, Spokesman for former President Levon Ter-Petrosian are also expected to make speeches.
 The Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, also known as the Helsinki Commission, is a US Government agency that monitors progress in the implementation of the provisions of the 1975 Helsinki Accords. The Commission consists of nine members from the United States Senate, nine from the House of Representatives, and one member each from the Departments of State, Defense and Commerce.

More Than $300,000 Raised

During Armenian Bone Marrow Donor Registry Telethon

GLENDALE--More than $300,000 was raised Sunday during a five-hour telethon organized by the Armenian Bone Marrow Donor Registry, organizers reported.
 Through the efforts of scores of dedicated volunteers, donors and organizers, the ABMDR launched its "Be An Angel, Save A Life" Campaign. Funds raised from the telethon will be used to establish a Stem Cell Harvesting Center in Yerevan, Republic of Armenia.
 The telethon was broadcast from 4 to 9 p.m. Sunday on Horizon Television and four other Armenian channels. It was also webcast on ambdr.am and horizonarmeiantv.com.
 Organizers reported that the donors continued to call and pledge funds well after the telethon stopped broadcasting. Donations may still be made by visiting www.ambdr.am.
 The telethon made a broad appeal to the public to provide the final capstone funding for a project that has attracted initial support from the Lincy Foundation, private individuals, ABMDR Board member Carolann Najarian, the Glendale Sunrise Rotary Club, and supporters who attended the organization's fifth Anniversary fundraising concert last year. These initial funds have allowed the ABMDR to purchase a cell separator instrument, and begin remodeling of the facility.
 With additional contributions garnered from the telethon, the ABMDR hopes to fully fund the Center which, when established, will bring the life-saving procedure of stem cell transplantation within the reach of many more patients with leukemia and other life-threatening blood diseases, and will play a vital role in the treatment of other diseases such as cancers, diabetes, and heart ailments.
 The Center will also bring state-of-the-art medical and research technology to Armenia, transforming Yerevan into a regional center for stem cell harvesting and blood component separation, bringing not only revenues from other countries in the region, but positioning the Center as a vital and active player among international transplantation centers worldwide. Like the Registry itself, the Center will be internationally accredited, opening new doors for global collaborations in medicine and scientific research.
 The Armenian Bone Marrow Donor Registry is the first and only organization of its kind in the Caucasus region and was founded in 1999 as an independent, non-governmental, non-profit organization whose mission is to ensure that every ethnic Armenian struck with a life-threatening blood-related illness is able to find hope for long-term survival through the identification of a genetically suitable bone marrow match.

Foreign and Defense Ministers Appointed

YEREVAN (Presidential News Office)--Armenian President Serzh Sarkisian issued two decrees Monday appointing Edward Nalbandian and

Major General Seyran Ohanian as Foreign Minister and Defense Minister, respectively.
 Edward Nalbandian was Armenia's ambassador to France, Vatican, Israel and Andorra under the Robert Kocharian administration.
 Since June, 2007, Seyran Ohanian served as Chief of Staff of Armenia's Armed forces and was the first deputy defense minister.
 Armenia's newly formed political coalition on Friday was still in talks over the distribution of roles in the emerging Cabinet, with its newly appointed head promising the negotiations would be completed by the end of the week.
 “You will be informed about decisions in a few days, but at this moment it is not correct to make any statement, because it will only hamper the discussions,” Tigran Sargsyan told reporters.
 The new prime minister also defended President Serzh Sarkisian's election programs as a means to defuse tensions in society.
 “I think that Serzh Sarkisian gave an exhaustive answer to all questions in his inauguration speech [Wednesday] and I fully agree with the evaluations of the republic's president, and I think the path that he has embarked on is the only way that will provide an opportunity to ensure an atmosphere of solidarity in our country,” Sargsyan (no relation to Serzh) said.
 Sargsyan also asked for some time to provide answers to all questions. “I think you should give me an opportunity; Don't ask for answers to all questions now. It's only two days since I took the prime minister's job,” he said.
 Former chief banker Sargsyan, who is currently not affiliated with any political party and is considered to be a technocrat manager, agreed that his new job implied a serious political component. “No economic reform can be fulfilled without political contents, and the prime minister's is a fully political post,”

Walk For Remembrance 08 - Sunday, April 20, 2008

To increase awareness of the Armenian Genocide, raise funds for a monument,

and benefit ANC & Community Organizations

For the second year, the Orange County ANC has organized a walk for remembrance, approximately 8 miles from St. Mary Church in Costa Mesa to  Forty Martyrs Church in Santa Ana . A program will follow in Gugasian Hall. The walk will be held on Sunday, April 20, 2008, starting at 1 pm.

Participating Organizations:
AGBU
AGBU YP
ANCA
ANC-OC
ANC Professional Network
ANC Western Region
Ari Guiragos Minassian Armenian School
Armenian Eyecare Project
ARF Badanegan "Aghpiur Serop" Chapters
ARF "Armen Karo" Committee
ARS "Karni" Chapter
ARS "Sevan" Chapter
AYF "Ashod Yergat" Chapter
Axis of Justice
Forty Martyr's Armenian Church
Forty Martyr's Ladies Auxilliary
Forty Martyr's Youth Group
Homenetmen "Sardarabad" Chapter
Hamazkayin Orange County Chapter
St. Mary ACYO
St. Mary Armenian Church
St. Mary Ladies Society
St. Mary Sunday School
Whittier Law School Armenian Student Association
Zvartnots Dance Group

Armenian Genocide Museum of America

Located in Washington, DC, the Armenian Genocide Museum of America (AGMA) will be the premier institution in the United States dedicated to educating American and international audiences about the Armenian Genocide and its continuing consequences. Visitors to the Museum will come to understand the Armenian Genocide as the prototype for modern crimes against humanity, including the Holocaust, Cambodia, Rwanda, and Darfur.

The Museum is strategically located two blocks from the White House, walking distance from the Smithsonian Institution, and down the street from the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum — to ensure that Armenian-American issues and concerns, past and present, are never again ignored.

This place of gathering — this center for Americans and Armenians alike — will be a World-Class Museum among World-Class Institutions committed to bringing justice to the memory of the victims of the 20th century's first genocide. AGMA aspires to do so by also highlighting the historic identity of the Armenian people, their culture and creativity, their art and artistry, and their perseverance in the face of adversity.

Visitors will learn about the ultimate failure of the international community to hold the perpetrators accountable for their crimes and hence why a living monument to the quest for justice is vitally necessary, and why the story of the Armenians and all other peoples who have suffered similar fates must be told.

Powerful presentations are instrumental for prompting action and discussion. AGMA interactive exhibits and educational programs will incorporate the latest scholarship with state-of-the-art technology. An online version will offer much the same resonant content to visitors anywhere in the world. Exhibits will focus on the Armenian Genocide to reinforce the universal message of our common humanity and collective responsibility.

The Armenian Genocide Museum of America will offer a place for reflection, where memories and emotions can be confronted in an environment filled with hope, inspiration and a commitment to eradicating the scourge of genocide and stopping other atrocities against humankind.

AGMA is slated for opening before 2011. The historically-designated former National Bank of Washington building in which AGMA will be housed is located at the intersection of 14th and G Streets, NW, Washington, DC 20005. The current plans for the facility call for a 50,000 square foot complex with room to expand in the future.

The Armenian Genocide Museum of America is a project of the Armenian Genocide Museum and Memorial, Inc.
1140 19th Street, NW, Suite 600

Washington, DC 20036

http://www.armeniangenocidemuseum.org/

Telephone: (202) 383-9009  

ARS Opens Javakakhk Office

JAVAKHK, Georgia --The Armenian Relief Society opened on Monday a regional office in Georgia's Armenian region of Samtskhe-Javakheti.
    The opening ceremony, which was held on Women's day, was attended by Primate of the Georgian See of the Armenian Apostolic Church Babken Salbyian, Reverent Father Samuel Torosian, Georgian Parliamentarian Hamlet Movsysian, Akhalkalak Mayor Ararat Gamalian, Akhalkalak Police Chief Samuel Petrosian, Akhalkalak Hospital Chief Physician Dr. Alexander Torosian, regional representatives from the educational and labor unions, directors of schools and financial institutions, as well as ARS members from Akhalkalak, Ninotsminta and Akhaltskha.
    Following the ribbon cutting by ARS Chairperson Hasmig Derderian, Primate Salbyian blessed the new regional office and stressed the gratitude of Javakhk's Armenians for work that ARS performs in the region.
    This newly opened ARS office will be a home full of warmth for the Armenians of Javakhk, he said.
    With the reality of the ARS Javakhk office, the ARS's activities will be accelerated like never before, said ARS Georgia Chairperson Karineh Tadevosian.
    Derderian provided a brief synopsis of the global activities and mission of the ARS.
    "The newly inaugurated ARS office in Javakhk will be that warm abode, where every Armenian will feel safe, finding a sympathetic ear to personal problems." She said. "It is a genuine source of pride for us to know that this is a center of service to our people, where the global ARS structure will do its utmost to wipe the tear of a mother in distress, to lessen the pain of a traumatized child, to watch Armenian youth sing and dance, and to turn the spotlight on Javakhk for all ARS members to see and be aware of."
    Later in the day, Derderian and Tadevosian visited the Akhaltskha and Akhalkalak Youth Centers, which were established by the ARS Javakhk Development Committee. The two also paid a visit to the Tzughrit Village and its ARS Health Center, where they had a working session with the Executive body of ARS Georgia.
    As a result of the ARS Javakhk Development Committee, the Akhalkalak Hospital now has the necessary medical equipment and its own dental health center.

US Congress to hold hearings on post-elections in Armenia

and its impact on peace talks over Nagorno Karabakh

APA US Bureau reports, Congressman Alcee L. Hastings, Chairman of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe

( U.S. Helsinki Commission) and Co-Chairman Senator Benjamin L. Cardin will hold a hearing.
Sources in the Congress said, since the February 19 presidential election, Armenia has experienced its most serious political crisis in over a decade. The March 1 confrontation between the authorities and supporters of the opposition resulted in at least eight fatalities and the imposition of a state of emergency, causing serious damage to Armenia ’s reputation. Although Prime Minister Serzh Sarkissian has been elected President, some opposition leaders refuse to recognize the outcome and government opposition relations remain tense. The state of emergency has been lifted but restrictions on freedom of assembly continue in effect. The hearing will focus on the ramifications of these developments for
Armenia and the United States , especially the ongoing Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) negotiations on Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia s qualifications for assistance from the Millennium Challenge Account.
Matthew Bryza, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs, Vigen Sargsian, Assistant to the President of the Republic of Armenia , Arman Grigorian, Spokesman for former President Levon Ter-Petrossian will be testifying before the Commission.

Israeli Official Says Genocide Debate Not Related to Government

TEL AVAIV--A top aid to Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak was quoted by the Haaretz newspaper as saying Friday that the proposed debate in the Israeli Knesset on the Armenian Genocide was “not related to the government,” despite recent Turkish overtures that a visiting delegation was ensured that such a debate would not take place.
    "Israel certainly recognizes the strategic importance of its relations with Turkey, but there are subjects and parliamentary initiatives that are not related to the government," Shalom Turbowicz said. "As a government, we have no interest in undermining our ties with Turkey."
    The chairman of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee in the Turkish parliament, Hasan Murat Mercan, has asked the Prime Minister's Bureau to cancel a scheduled discussion in the Knesset on the Armenian genocide.
    Mercan was in Israel this week at the head of a Turkish parliamentary delegation for talks with their Israeli counterparts.
    Talks included discussions on Iran, the Palestinians and Syria, but the main issue the Turkish delegation raised was an upcoming Knesset debate on the Armenian genocide.
    "The Armenian issue is very sensitive for Turkey," the visitors told Yoram Turbowicz and Shalom Turgeman, two of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's most senior aides, adding that, "We would prefer if this discussion would not take place at this time in the Israeli parliament because it may harm the relations between the two countries."
    Turbowicz offered Israel's official response, that the issue needed to be resolved between Turkey and Armenia in a professional manner, through the involvement of historians.
    "I am convinced that Israel recognizes the negative implications this may have on ties between the two countries," Mercan said.

Armenian Genocide victims to be commemorated in Berlin

This year the Armenian community in Berlin is organizing a program for the day of commemoration of the Armenian Genocide victims. The commemorative address will be given this year by the Vice President of the German Bundestag, Dr. Susanne Kastner, and Rabbi Prof. Dr. Andreas Nachama, the director of the documentation center for the history of national socialism, Topography of Terror Foundation, as well as by the Ambassador of the Republic of Armenia, I.E. Karine Ghazinian, the Armenian community of Berlin.
The Berlin commemoration event will be musically accompanied by the internationally renowned pianist Vardan Mamikonian.
The ceremony of remembrance will be held on April 24, 2008 at 6:00pm in the Französischen Friedrichstadtkirche (French cathedral), Am Gendarmenmarkt, 10117 Berlin.
Last year the remembrance event on April 24 in the German capital Berlin in commemoration for the victims of the Armenian Genocide was well received, both publicly and politically. The speakers were the highest representative of the Federal Republic of Germany, Prof. Dr. Norbert Lammert, President of the German Bundestag, and Prof. Dr. Jan Philipp Reemtsma, director of the Hamburg Institute for Social Research, a leading figure in the public debates about genocide in Germany. Among the guests at the remembrance event were numerous ambassadors, state secretaries und parliamentarians of the German Bundestag as well as various state parliamentarians.

“Armenia after the Election” hearing to be held in U.S. Helsinki Commission

Congressman Alcee L. Hastings (D-FL), Chairman of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (U.S. Helsinki Commission) and Co-Chairman Senator Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD), will hold a hearing entitled, “Armenia after the Election,” on Thursday, April 17 at 2:00 p.m. in room B-318 of the Rayburn House Office Building.
“Since the February 19 presidential election, Armenia has experienced its most serious political crisis in over a decade. The March 1 confrontation between the authorities and supporters of the opposition resulted in at least eight fatalities and the imposition of a state of emergency, causing serious damage to Armenia’s reputation. Although Prime Minister Serzh Sarkissian has been elected President, some opposition leaders refuse to recognize the outcome and government opposition relations remain tense. The state of emergency has been lifted but restrictions on freedom of assembly continue in effect,” says the text published on the Commission’s website.
The hearing will focus on the ramifications of these developments for Armenia and the United States, especially the ongoing Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) negotiations on Nagorno Karabakh and Armenia s qualifications for assistance from the Millennium Challenge Account.
The hearing will be attended by Mr. Matthew Bryza, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs, Mr. Vigen Sargsian, Assistant to the President of the Republic of Armenia, Mr. Arman Grigorian, Spokesman for former President Levon Ter-Petrossian.

Turkey blackmails Israel over Armenian Genocide

The chairman of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee in the Turkish parliament, Hasan Murat Mercan, has asked the Bureau of Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to cancel a scheduled discussion in the Knesset on the Armenian Genocide.
Mercan was in Israel this week at the head of a Turkish parliamentary delegation for talks with their Israeli counterparts. Talks included discussions on Iran, the Palestinians and Syria, but the main issue the Turkish delegation raised was an upcoming Knesset debate on the Armenian Genocide.
Advertisement "The Armenian issue is very sensitive for Turkey," the visitors told Yoram Turbowicz and Shalom Turgeman, two of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert’s most senior aides, adding that, "We would prefer if this discussion would not take place at this time in the Israeli parliament because it may harm the relations between the two countries." Turbowicz offered Israel’s official response, that the issue needed to be resolved between Turkey and Armenia in a professional manner, through the involvement of historians. "Israel certainly recognizes the strategic importance of its relations with Turkey, but there are subjects and parliamentary initiatives that are not related to the government," Turbowicz said. "As a government, we have no interest in undermining our ties with Turkey." "I am convinced that Israel recognizes the negative implications this may have on ties between the two countries," Mercan said, Haaretz reports.

New ARF Chapter formed in Las Vegas, 12 Sworn Into ARF Ranks

LAS VEGAS--A new Armenian Revolutionary Federation chapter was inaugurated last Saturday in Las Vegas during a special event and swearing in ceremony, which saw 12 new members indoctrinated into the ranks of the Western Region of the 118-year-old party.
    At a special banquet organized by the newly established “Ishkhan” chapter, 12 novices joined the ranks of the party by taking their pledge. Officiating the ceremony was ARF Bureau member Dr. Vicken Hovsepian.
    In his remarks, Hovsepian elevated the aspect of becoming an ARF member and making the life-long pledge of fighting for the Armenian Cause. He outlined the current challenges facing the Armenian people and the ARF and called on the new members to work diligently in ensuring the successful fruition of the challenges, as well as the goals and program of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation.
    Master of Ceremonies Hovan Tashjian welcomed the newly-enlisted members and provided a brief historical perspective on “Vana Ishkhan” for whose heroic deeds the new chapter was named.
    He then presented the newly-formed executive of the chapter--Jack Kassamanian, Siroun Bedirian and Razmig Libarian.
    In his welcoming remarks, Kassamanian called on the community to rally around the ARF and the newly-formed chapter and ensure that the community strengthens itself for the pursuit of the Armenian Cause and the just aspirations of the Armenian-American community.

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ANC-Glendale To Host Annual Banquet

Jackie Kanchelian Speier Sworn Into Congress

SAN FRANCISCO--Armenian American Jackie Kanchelian Speier took her oath of office Thursday to become the second Armenian-American member of the 110th Congress.
Speier swept to a resounding victory last night, receiving close to 80 percent of the vote in a special election in California's 12th Congressional District, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA.)  Speier will be joining Rep. Anna Eshoo (CA-14) as the only other Armenian American legislator in the 110th Congress.
  "We are encouraged to see Jackie Speier, a tremendously talented public servant and proud daughter of the Armenian people, elected to represent the citizens of California's 12th Congressional District," said Aram Hamparian, Executive Director of the ANCA. "She comes to Washington with a proven track record of legislative achievement in California, and we look forward to working with her on issues of shared concern."
  Speier won the special election on April 8th, which was scheduled after Rep. Tom Lantos' untimely passing earlier this year when he succumbed to esophageal cancer.  In a field of five candidates, Representative-elect Speier won an impressive 77.9% of the vote, with the remaining candidates receiving less than 10% each.
 San Francisco-Bay Area ANC activists played a significant role in all facets of the Jackie Speier for Congress campaign. Armenian Americans volunteered regularly in phone banking and other get-out-the-vote efforts coordinated by the local ANC chapter. Through the leadership of the Armenian National Committee Political Action Committee (ANC-PAC), Armenian Americans from across the U.S., at events and over the internet, raised funds for her election bid. 
 Speier has been active on Armenian American concerns throughout her years in the California state legislature.  During her tenure in Sacramento, she authored 16 bills related to Armenian issues.  In 1989, she advocated for the law mandating the Department of Education to include instruction on the Armenian Genocide in public schools.  Every year thereafter, she co-sponsored the resolution commemorating the Armenian Genocide, including the 2005 bill that made the commemoration permanent law.  In her final term, Speier introduced a measure that allows Armenian Genocide victims or their beneficiaries to file claims against banks doing business in California that refuse to pay for deposited or looted assets of Armenian Genocide victims.
 "When I get elected to Congress, the epicenter of Armenian American representation in Congress will be right here," said Speier, who was a keynote speaker at this year's March 8th San Francisco Bay Area ANC "Hai Tad" Evening along with Hamparian.  She pledged to continue the fight for justice for the Armenian Genocide and rally support for Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act, limiting aid to Azerbaijan, until it lifts its blockade of Armenia and Nagorno Karabagh.  "Turkey cannot strangle Armenia into submission by circumventing Armenia's territory in every regional infrastructure project.  Turkey must include Armenia in these projects, because this is the only way to lasting peace," Speier said.
 Speier will participate in the upcoming June Congressional primary election for the seat, and as the presumptive nominee, she is expected to run in the November general election for the 111th Congress, which will convene in January 2009.

VARTAN OSKANIAN’S FAREWELL SPEECH TO MFA STAFF

I asked that you all gather here today so I can say thank you – to all of you: To the diplomats who have worked with me for these 10 years, and longer. To the technical staff who have made our work here and abroad possible. To our ambassadors who have worked hard, against great odds, to maximally promote our interests.

We can all be proud of our work, and we can all feel satisfied that we are performing a civic duty. We are all citizens of armenia – you by birth, I by choice. For me, the decision to pack up and return to Armenia after independence was a default decision, a non-decision, an obvious choice. Having come, I’m not now preparing to go.

I’ve been here since almost the beginning, working with you, to create something out of nothing, to build a new institution and a new kind of institution. I have served as Foreign Minister since the beginning of President Kocharian’s term. I had served as Deputy Minister and First Deputy Minister under President Ter Petrossian. In other words, I have served not a man, but a people and a country. Together, that’s what we have done since independence -- we have served the state, the Republic of Armenia . I am proud of the work we have done together.

During these 10 years, I believe much has changed in the nature of our work. Of course the Republic of Armenia has changed and progressed such that many objective conditions have changed – we don’t wait 2, 3, sometimes 5 months to get paid. We have paper on which to print treaties, conventions and documents. We are not hostage to irregular flights into and out of Armenia .

There are other differences, too. Diplomats, and all staff, are accepted solely on merit and not for any other reason. Diplomats are assigned postings solely based on professional circumstances and not for any other reason. This ministry has a reputation now for being the cleanest, the most professional, the best regulated, and not corrupt. And that’s no small reason to be proud.

This ministry is a place where people are treated with dignity, with respect and with tolerance. I’m proud of that and I believe that that tradition, once begun, cannot be easily undone. On the contrary, it becomes contagious. I believe that to build a democratic society, we must begin, and we have begun, by building a transparent, accountable ministry, and by treating each other with dignity.

The world has changed too in these 10 years. Russia is no longer in retreat. Europe is much closer than it used to be. The US is more insistent on having partners who are democratic. Azerbaijan is looking to oil for solutions to all problems. Turkey is living both in the past and in the future. Georgia is walking a fine line between beleaguered and bold. Iran is caught between the world’s perceptions and its own self-image.

And Armenia ? Armenia has demonstrated that we understand that diplomacy and defense do not replace each other, but work in tandem to secure a nation’s future. Armenia has proven that economic growth is possible, even with the absence of natural resources and open transportation corridors. Armenia is living proof that one can be a respected member of the international community and at the same time swim against the global tide to assure self-determination and security for Nagorno Karabakh. Armenia has become a trustworthy and I can say, full partner in international organizations with a full agenda of reforms, insights and action items. Armenia has established good relations with all major world centers – Russia , the Americas , Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Latin America .

But each of the successes I just mentioned have brought with it a set of new challenges and new problems. And that’s our job – to make the best of each opportunity and minimize all threats.

Now, we must perform our job in the changed environment of the last several months. When we allowed the political tensions and emotions of the election and post-election period to reign, they demonstrated that we sometimes imagine that revolution can be an alternative to reforms, and that revenge can take precedence over reconciliation. No one knows better than we in this building that that is false. No one knows better than we that our domestic strength, integrity, stability, morality and perseverance are our best – actually our only – calling cards in the international arena.

If those were our assets, today we work with a deficit. The capital we had accumulated internationally has been squandered. That means my successor, each of you, and all of us who live in Armenia , must work even harder to regain our respectability and our confidence in ourselves and our future.

I will continue to work with you. I don’t intend to terminate my public engagement, but to enter a new phase. I don’t intend to be foreign minister but I intend to work domestically to help the next minister to succeed internationally.

The weeks after March 1 were the most difficult of my entire career. On the one hand, I am part of an admininstration which, at the end of the day, is responsible for what happens in this country. On the other hand, from the beginning of their campaign, I disagreed, publicly and privately, with the tactics, methods and goals of the opposition.

Just as it is not in my nature to follow blindly, it is also not in my nature to be in bitter opposition. I believe in carrying out the responsibilities I have undertaken. I believe I have done so these 10 years, sometimes before the TV cameras but more often behind the scenes.

My commitment to Armenia and its future did not begin when I became foreign minister. It will not cease now that I am no longer foreign minister.

Instead, it will change. I will undertake a new set of responsibilities that will focus on fashioning a relevant, inclusive civic and political forum and that will work with the public and with the existing political forces on mending the torn fabric of our society, on finding genuine paths to political concensus by reconciling our differences, not suppressing them. I will partner with those who wish to create the mechanisms that replicate the experience of other developed countries and offer serious, convincing political alternatives that are not destructive, extreme and self-serving. Most of all, or first of all, I will work to strengthen the institutions which will decrease our people’s cynicism and readiness to believe the worst about ourselves, that will empower people to say what they believe and believe in what they say.

The work that you and I will do will be complementary. I feel a part of this family. And that’s not going to change. I would like it to remain that way, and I know it will be hard to pass by this building, or through Republic Square in general.

Thank you.

Oragark Launches new Website

Speier Wins Congressional Race, Becoming 2nd Armenian in Congress

SAN FRANCISCO--Jackie Kanchelian-Speier breezed to an easy victory Tuesday to serve out the remainder of Tom Lantos's congressional term, becoming the second Armenian-American to serve in the 110th Congress. The 12th Congressional District seat became open when Lantos succumbed to cancer earlier this year.
 The Armenian-American community rallied behind the one-time State Senate member and enjoyed broad support from all facets of the community. She was also endorsed by the Armenian National Committee-Political Action Committee.
 Speier joins Rep. Anna Eshoo, also of Northern California, who was until now the only Armenian-American in Congress.
 Speier took nearly 80 percent of the vote Tuesday. Her district includes parts of the Midcoast as well as southern sections of San Francisco and much of San Mateo County.
 Because she won more than 50 percent of the vote, there will be no runoff this time. But her tenure will be brief. She faces a June 3 primary and November election for a first full term after Lantos's 14th term expires later this year

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New Armenian PM Named

YEREVAN (RFE/RL)--Tigran Sarkisian, the longtime chairman of the Central Bank of Armenia, was appointed as the country's new prime minister on Wednesday.
    President Serzh Sarkisian (no relation to Tigran) signed a relevant decree immediately after his inauguration and the formal resignation of the current Armenian government which he has headed since April last year. Its members will continue to perform their duties until the formation of a new cabinet.
    The decree became a mere formality after the CBA chief's candidacy was unanimously backed by the leadership of the governing Republican Party of Armenia on Tuesday. Tigran Sarkisian's appointment was also approved the next day by the leaders of two other parties that will be represented in the new coalition government to be formed in the coming weeks.
    Armen Rustamian of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation called Tigran Sarkisian a "new figure" capable of introducing "changes that may be painful and may not be liked by everyone." "In that sense, the choice of new prime minister bodes well for a new beginning," he told RFE/RL.
    Artur Baghdasarian, the leader of the Orinats Yerkir Party, said the CBA candidate was "one of the most acceptable candidates" for the job. "I think one of Tigran Sarkisian's positive traits is his commitment to reforms," he said.

Serzh Sarkisian Sworn in as Armenia's President

YEREVAN (Combined Sources)--Armenian President Serzh Sarkisian promised at his inauguration on Wednesday to heal rifts in society and move Armenia forward, one month after clashes between police and protesters left eight people dead.
    With his right hand on the original copy of the Armenian constitution and a 7th century Bible, Sarkisian was sworn in as president at Yerevan's opera house in front of an audience of hundreds including parliamentarians and foreign guests.
    "May God give me strength not to disappoint my supporters, to overcome all difficulties and to find a recipe for resolving the problems of those who are disappointed and have lost hope, those who need hope, faith and optimism," he said in a live televised inaugural address before parliament.
    Western observers issued an overall positive assessment of the February 19 election, but noted serious flaws, especially during the vote count.
    During his speech, Sarkisian pledged to "fulfill the requirements of the Constitution in an unreserved manner; to respect the fundamental human and civil rights and freedoms; to ensure the protection, independence, territorial integrity and security to the glory of the Republic of Armenia and to secure the welfare of the people of the Republic of Armenia."
    Sarkisian is becoming president at a crucial moment in the country's history,  Catholicos Karekin II said during his speech.
    Armenia has experienced double-digit economic growth and development for seven consecutive years, but trade is still limited by a dual blockade by neighboring Turkey and Azerbaijan, while development has centered mostly in the country's capital, Yerevan.
    "This ceremony takes place about a month after painful events, which inflicted wounds that are still fresh," Sarkisian said, referring to clashes between police and supporters of former president Levon Ter-Petrosian after 10 days of protests against the February 19 election results. "Today, I urge everybody to look forward, together, to seek and find the path of reconciliation, of development, for the future of Armenia."
    Armenia cannot grow and experience true success, unless we learn lessons from the past, he explained. What happened should serve as a lesson that compels Armenia and her citizens to work with greater vigor and devotion.    
    The new president thanked those who voted for him and appealed to those who didn't. It is the right of the people to vote for someone else, he said, acknowledging that he must serve everyone equally regardless of who voted for him.
    "We should not create division between various parts of our people, should not disregard each other's concerns and pains, and should not go beyond each other's reach," he said. "Even if a wall of misunderstanding stands between us, I urge you to join us in eliminating that wall," Sarkisian stressed as he appealed for national unity.
    The call for increased unity comes amid growing tensions with Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh. With Karabakh a major election issue in Azerbaijan's coming presidential elections, Azeri President Ilham Aliyev has been intensifying his bellicose position over the status of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, threatening to use Azerbaijan's military-beefed up by billions in oil revenue-to take the mountainous Armenian republic by force.
    With its international image affected by the March 1 clashes and an ensuing 20 day declaration of emergency rule, Sarkisian faces many challenges as Armenia's third president.
    One such challenge is securing a viable resolution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Since 1997, peace talks over Nagorno-Karabakh have been conducted by the American, French and Russian co-chairmen of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe's Minsk Group. Negotiations are, however, in danger of unraveling as Azerbaijan tries to dissolve the Minsk Group format.
    Sarkisian and the Armenian authorities have repeatedly voiced their support for a compromise solution reached through peaceful negotiations in the Minsk Group format, but many in Armenia, including outgoing President Robert Kocharian, are saying it's time for Armenia to recognize the independence of Nagorno-Karabakh and sign a military agreement with it.
    President Kocharian will occupy a special place in Armenian history, Sarkisian explained. His presidency saw years of significant achievements for Armenia and the development and protection of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic.
    "I am confident that generations will duly appreciate his service and contribution to the development and strengthening of our statehood," he said.
    Sarkisian recognized the enormous challenges he faces and pledged to do everything in his power to live up to the honor and responsibility of his new post.
    "We shall build the Armenia where our citizens and families will live and realize their potential in security and dignity," the new president said. "We shall carry out a proactive foreign policy, and do everything to find a just, peaceful, and favorable solution to the Artsakh issue. We shall build a strong, proud, and democratic state of Armenia, where everyone shall be equal before the law."
    Sarkisian told the nation that he will preside over an administration that builds a fatherland for all Armenians to unite behind, where mutual love, respect and tolerance will prevail.
    "To accomplish this historic mission, I once again urge us to unite," he said. "Unity will be the platform for fundamental value creation and progress along the path of democracy and freedom."
    After ceremony Sarkisian went out to Freedom Square where a military parade was underway.
    The inauguration was attended by 118 members of Armenia's National Assembly and by delegations from 58 countries and representatives of 12 international organizations.
    The head of the Russian delegation, chairman of the Russian State Duma Boris Grizlov told journalists after the inauguration that it was "very important that the newly-elect president noted in his speech that international relations and relations with Russia will be among his priorities."
    "Armenia is our close ally in the Caucasus and I think that it is high time for Armenia to unite to solve its issues," Duma member Konstantin Zatulin told reporters. "We must defend each other and I would like the relations between Armenia and Russia to develop further."
    EU Special Representative to the South Caucasus Peter Semneby noted Armenia is facing many challenges and Sarkisian is assuming the presidency at a very important time. He underscored the necessity of dialogue in the political life of the country and said Europe will support Sarkisian in confronting the country's challenges.
    "It is a very important day and I expect that during the next days and weeks positive developments will take place in Armenia," he said.
    Nagorno-Karabakh Republic President Bako Sahakian expressed his belief that the coming years will be the years of success and progress for Armenia.
    "Our expectations from Armenia and her new President are great, I am sure that under his leadership Armenia will achieve new heights and will prosper," he said. "Artsakh's strength depends on the strength of Armenia," he stressed.
    When asked by reporters about recent statements by the outgoing President that Armenia should recognize the independence of Karabakh, Sahakian said that the Karabakh leadership will welcome any development that has a positive influence on the negotiations process.
    Following the parade, Sarkisian visited the Yerablur Pantheon to pay tribute to the memory of the people who dedicated their lives to the consolidation of Armenia's statehood.
    Sarkisian made the trip accompanied by National Assembly Speaker Tigran Torosian, Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian and Defense Minister Michael Harutyunian, Yerevan Mayor Yervand Zakharian, other representatives from Armenia's power ministries and legislative and executive bodies.
    As the new president of the Republic of Armenia, Sarkisian signed a decree for the resignation of the government. Its members will continue with their duties until the new government is formed, Sarkisian's press office said.

ANCA OUTLINES 13 FAILINGS BY THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION

    ON ARMENIAN AMERICAN ISSUES

Armenian National Committee of America

1711 N Street, NW

Washington, DC 20036

Contact: Elizabeth S. Chouldjian

Tel. (202) 775-1918

Fax. (202) 775-5648

WASHINGTON, DC – The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA),

in a letter to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, has outlined

the Armenian American community's concerns regarding the Bush

Administration's seven-year record of largely counterproductive,

frequently unfriendly, and, at times, antagonistic policies toward

Armenia and the Armenian American community.

The April 4th letter, signed by ANCA Chairman Ken Hachikian, listed

thirteen areas in which the President and his Administration fell

short of both their own commitments and our nation's basic human

rights standards, retreated from America 's historic commitment to

Armenia, and strained – through a series of ill-advised policies

and often hostile actions - the enduring ties that have long bound

together the American and Armenian peoples.  The following points

are covered in significant detail in the 6-page letter, the full

text of which is provided below:

1)  The President's broken campaign pledge to recognize the Armenian Genocide

2)  Opposition to the Congressional Genocide Resolution

3)  The Evans firing and the Hoagland nominations

4)  The waiver of Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act

5)  Reduction in aid to Armenia

6)  Abandonment of the military aid parity agreement

7)  Mistaken listing of Armenia as a terrorist country

8)  Lack of U.S.-Armenia Presidential visitations

9)  Failure to confront the desecration of the Djulfa cemetery

10)  Failure to maintain a balanced policy on Nagorno Karabagh

11)  Taxpayer financing of the Baku-Ceyhan bypass of Armenia

12)  Failure to effectively pressure Turkey and Azerbaijan to end their blockades

13)  Neglect of relations with the Armenian American community

Over the course of the past seven years, the ANCA has repeatedly

requested, to no avail, the opportunity to meet with the President

and his Secretary of State to discuss these and other issues of

concern to Armenian Americans.  This most recent ANCA letter, once

again, asks for such a meeting, inviting the Secretary of State to

visit with the collective leadership of the Armenian American

community to discuss U.S. foreign policy toward Armenia and the

surrounding region over the remaining months of the Bush Administration.

April 4, 2008

The Honorable Condoleezza Rice

Secretary of State

U.S. Department of State

Washington, DC 20520

Re:  Administration policies on Armenian American issues

Dear Secretary Rice:

As the Administration of George W. Bush completes its final year in

office, we write to once again ask you to meet with the collective

leadership of the Armenian American community to discuss our

commonly held views and express our shared disappointments

regarding the Administration's policies on a broad range of foreign

policy issues of special concern to our nation's one and a half

million Americans of Armenian heritage.

We are profoundly disappointed by the Administration's complicity

in Turkey 's denial of the Armenian Genocide and troubled that its

approach toward Armenia – measured against the standard of past

presidents, the special relationship that has long existed between

our two countries, and the enduring ties and shared values that

have historically brought together the American and Armenian

peoples – has been, in our view, largely counterproductive,

frequently unfriendly, and, at times, antagonistic.

Closer to home, we remain troubled by the Administration's failure

to reach out to and to meaningfully engage the Armenian American

community.  Rather than looking to the Armenian American community

as a uniquely valuable source of regional understanding, a

wellspring of civic activism, or a vital bridge to the future

growth and expansion of our bilateral ties, the White House and

State Department chose instead to dismiss those Americans who, by

virtue of their heritage, feel most strongly about these very

issues.  At every key juncture since 2001, the Administration

placed artificial obstacles in the way of greater Armenian American

participation in and support for the formulation and implementation

of balanced and constructive policies toward Armenia and the

surrounding region.  This approach in our view reflects both a

missed opportunity and an unfortunate symbol of an Administration

that lacks the confidence to engage with its citizens and answer

openly for the policies it advances in the name of all Americans.

We have, as you know, in a series of letters over the past seven

years, shared our concerns regarding a broad array of Armenian

American issues, thirteen of which we have listed below in the text

of this correspondence.  We have repeatedly noted that the

Administration's policy of active complicity in Turkey 's denial of

the Armenian Genocide represents both a moral outrage against

America's core values, and a shameful retreat, under foreign

pressure, from our nation's proud legacy as the world's leading

defender of human rights.  This moral failing has, of course, only

been compounded by the Administration's strident opposition to the

Armenian Genocide Resolution and the State Department's firing of

U.S. Ambassador to Armenia , John Marshall Evans, for simply

speaking truthfully about this atrocity.

We have the right to expect more from our government.  America

should never hide from the truth, no matter how "inconvenient" it

may seem at the time to stand up for our values.  History has

taught us that we should never compromise our nation's values or

allow a foreign country to impose a gag-rule on our defense of

human rights.

The Administration has also failed, over the past seven years, to

stand by Armenia or, with the sole exception of Armenia 's

participation in the Millennium Challenge Account, a merit-based

program, to take meaningful steps to strengthen the U.S.-Armenia

relationship.  This performance is perhaps most notably illustrated

by the consistent attempts by the White House and Department of

State to sharply reduce U.S. economic aid levels, the "mistaken"

listing in 2003 of Armenia as a terrorist watch country, and, of

course, by the conspicuous refusal by President Bush to either

visit Armenia or to officially invite the President of Armenia to

the White House.

Equally troubling has been the Administration's silence or even

acquiescence in the face of the regional threats faced by the

people of Armenia and Nagorno Karabagh.  Among our concerns in this

area, as reflected below, are the Administration's unwarranted

waiver of Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act, its abandonment

of its own Military Aid Parity Agreement, its support for taxpayer

financing of the Baku-Ceyhan bypass of Armenia , its failure to

maintain a balanced policy toward Nagorno Karabagh, and – perhaps

most notably – the absence of any meaningful effort to pressure

either Turkey or Azerbaijan to end their illegal blockades.

Finally, we are profoundly troubled that, over the course of the

past seven years, despite repeated requests, neither our President

nor our Secretary of State chose to meet with the leadership of our

community to solicit our views, to share the rationale behind your

policies, or to engage in an open and honest discussion about

America's future relationship with Armenia and the region.  In

light of the fact that we have not had an opportunity to meet, we

would like to share with you the following areas in which we have

been troubled by the shortcomings of the Administration's policies

and actions:

1)  The President's broken campaign pledge to recognize the Armenian Genocide

Almost immediately after taking office, President Bush abandoned

his campaign pledge to recognize the Armenian Genocide.  Rather

than honoring this promise and keeping his word, the President has,

in his annual April 24th statements, used evasive and euphemistic

terminology to avoid describing Ottoman Turkey's systematic and

deliberate destruction of the Armenian people by its proper name -

the Armenian Genocide.  Moreover, the Administration has

unconscionably echoed the Turkish government's denial by claiming

that the Armenian Genocide, one of the most studied genocides of

the 20th century, "should be a matter of historical inquiry, not legislation."

As you recall, on March 21st of last year, during a hearing of the

House Appropriations Subcommittee on State-Foreign Operations, you

refused to answer questions, posed by Congressman Adam Schiff, as

to whether the murder of 1.5 million Armenians could be

characterized as anything other than a genocide.  Later that year,

on October 17th, after the Foreign Affairs Committee passed the

Armenian Genocide Resolution, the President, from the lawn of the

White House, argued that, "one thing Congress should not be doing

is sorting out the historical record of the Ottoman Empire ,"

claiming there was "more important work to do."

2)  Opposition to the Congressional Genocide Resolution

The Bush Administration, throughout its tenure, has actively sought

to block the adoption of the Genocide Resolution in both the House

and Senate.  As recently as October of last year, the President

spoke to the national media from the White House against the

recognition of the Armenian Genocide, and, giving into the

blackmail and threats of Turkey , personally lobbied Members of

Congress to prevent the commemoration of this crime.  We are

particularly saddened that you personally lobbied against the

resolution, as did Secretary of Defense Gates, and remain troubled

by the truly unprecedented level of participation by the nation's

most senior leadership in a foreign government's campaign to defeat

human rights legislation in the U.S. Congress.

3)  The Evans firing and the Hoagland nominations

The Bush Administration fired U.S. Ambassador John Evans, a career

Foreign Service officer with 35 years of experience, simply for

speaking truthfully about the Armenian Genocide.  Despite numerous

Congressional inquiries, the Administration continuously attempted

to cover up the true reasons for his  removal and the Turkish

government's protests over his statements.  When the American

Foreign Service Association (AFSA) awarded John Evans the Christian

Herter prize for constructive dissent, Administration officials

forced AFSA to rescind the award just days before Turkish President

Erdogan came to Washington , DC to meet with the President.

The President's nominee to replace Ambassador Evans, Dick Hoagland,

denied the Armenian Genocide in his written responses to Senate

inquiries during his confirmation process.  After being blocked by

a Senatorial "hold" placed by Robert Menendez in the 109th

Congress, the President again nominated Ambassador Hoagland, only

to have this nomination blocked once again on the grounds that a

diplomat who denies the Armenian Genocide cannot serve effectively

as the U.S. representative to Armenia .

4)  The waiver of Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act

The Bush Administration, in 2001, aggressively pressured Congress

into granting the President the authority to waive Section 907, a

provision of law that bars aid to the government of Azerbaijan

until it lifts its blockades of Armenia and Nagorno Karabagh.

President Bush has subsequently used this authority to provide

direct aid, including military assistance, to the government of

Azerbaijan, despite their outrageous and escalating threats of

renewed war and their continued violation of the provisions of this law.

5)  Reduction in aid to Armenia

In the face of the devastating, multi-billion dollar impact of the

Turkish and Azerbaijani blockades on the Armenian economy,

President Bush has, in each of his years in office, proposed to

Congress that Freedom Support Act humanitarian and developmental

aid to Armenia be reduced.  The President's most recent economic

aid request, for Fiscal Year 2009, was $24 million, dramatically

less than the $91.5 million, when he came into office in Fiscal

Year 2001.  Furthermore, for Fiscal Year 2009, the President's

budget proposed either maintaining or increasing aid to every

former Soviet Republic , except Armenia , for which the President

recommended a 59% decrease in aid.

6)  Abandonment of the military aid parity agreement

The Bush Administration broke its word and abandoned its November

2001 agreement with Congress and the Armenian American community to

maintain even levels of military aid to Armenia and Azerbaijan .  In

successive budgets submitted to Congress, the President effectively

sought to tilt the regional military balance in favor of

Azerbaijan, undermining the role of the U.S. as an impartial

mediator, despite Azerbaijan 's increasingly violent threats of

renewed aggression.

7)  Mistaken listing of Armenia as a terrorist country

The Bush Administration sought, unsuccessfully, in December of

2002, to place Armenia on an Immigration and Naturalization Service

watch list for terrorist countries. This obvious error was reversed

only after a nation-wide protest campaign. Neither the White House

nor the Department of Justice has ever apologized for the offense

caused by this mistake, choosing, instead, to attempt to justify

what is broadly perceived as an effort to pander to Turkey by

vilifying Armenia .

8)  Lack of U.S.- Armenia Presidential visitations

The President neither visited Armenia nor did he invite the

President of Armenia to visit the United States , despite similar

visits by the leaders of Georgia and Azerbaijan .

9)  Failure to confront the desecration of the Djulfa cemetery

The Administration again illustrated its lack of willingness to

confront anti-Armenian violence and aggression in its lack of a

meaningful response to the desecration, in December of 2005, of an

ancient Armenian cemetery by Azerbaijani soldiers.  As documented

on videotape and in photos that were promptly shared with the State

Department following the incident, approximately 200 troops using

sledgehammers and picks systematically destroyed hundreds of

khatchkars (intricately carved stone-crosses) in the cemetery in

the Djulfa region of Nakhichevan.  This sacred, 1,200-year old site

of the Armenian Apostolic Church , once home to as many as 10,000

khatchkars, is now nearly entirely destroyed, and has, in fact,

recently been converted into a firing range by the Azerbaijani military.

Despite repeated and sustained attempts on our part, calls for an

investigation by International Christian Concern and other civic

and faith-based groups, and a series of Congressional inquiries,

the Administration, which has otherwise and elsewhere trumpeted it

defense of religious freedoms, remained silent for several months,

until March of the following year, when a State Department official

finally condemned the desecration in response to an inquiry at a

press conference in Yerevan .  The 2006 State Department

International Religious Freedom Report does not mention this widely

reported demolition, although it does detail desecrations of other

cemeteries in several other countries, such as in Estonia , France ,

Latvia, Poland , Lithuania and Germany .

10)  Failure to maintain a balanced policy on Nagorno Karabagh

The Bush Administration, to its credit, took an early initiative to

help resolve the Nagorno Karabagh issue in the form of the Key West

summit meeting in 2001 between Secretary of State Powell and the

presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan . After Azerbaijan 's failure to

honor its Key West commitments, however, the Administration failed

to hold Azerbaijan accountable for unilaterally stalling the

Nagorno Karabagh peace process.  The negative impact of our

unbalanced policy toward this conflict was compounded last year by

the publication, in the State Department's annual Human Rights

report, of inaccurate official claims that Armenia occupies Nagorno

Karabagh and Azerbaijan .  Although this error was not repeated in

this year's report, it did represent a setback to the peace process

and undermined our role as an honest broker in this conflict.

11) Taxpayer financing of the Baku-Ceyhan bypass of Armenia

The Bush Administration, despite bipartisan Congressional

opposition, supported American taxpayer-funded subsidies for the

politically motivated Baku-Ceyhan pipeline route that, at the

insistence of both Turkey and Azerbaijan , bypassed Armenia , to its

significant economic detriment.

12)  Failure to effectively pressure Turkey and Azerbaijan to end their blockades

The Bush Administration has not forcefully condemned the Turkish

and Azerbaijani blockades as clear violations of international law,

nor, outside of occasional public statements, has it taken any

meaningful steps to pressure the Turkish or Azerbaijani governments

to end their illegal border closures against land-locked Armenia .

13)  Neglect of relations with the Armenian American community

Breaking with the tradition of the last several Administrations,

President Bush and his Secretaries of State failed to reach out in

any meaningful way to our nation's one and a half million citizens

of Armenian heritage.  Over the past seven years, the collective

leadership of the Armenian American community was neither invited

to the White House to consult with the President, or asked by the

Secretary of State to meet and discuss our community's priorities.

We would welcome the opportunity for the collective leadership of

the Armenian American community to meet with you to discuss each of

these issues, and others, in greater detail.  We are confident

that, if such a meeting can be arranged, we would benefit

considerably from your insights and perspectives, and that,

together, we will be able to explore ways in which we can work

together toward our shared aims during the coming months.

Thank you for your review of our concerns and for your

consideration of our request.

Sincerely,

[signed]

Kenneth V. Hachikian

Chairman

Armenia Should Recognize Karabakh, Says Manoyan

STEPANAKERT --Armenia should immediately recognize the independence of Nagorno-Karabakh and sign a military agreement with it, Armenian Revolutionary Federation Political Director Giro Manoyan told reporters during a press conference Tuesday.
    Azerbaijan has overstepped all boundries in its attempts to remove the mediation of the Karabakh Conflict from the format of the OSCE Minsk Group, he explained.
    Since 1997, peace talks over Nagorno-Karabakh have been conducted by the American, French and Russian co-chairmen of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe's Minsk Group. Negotiations have, however, slowed to an inch as Azerbaijan has been trying to unravel the process by casting doubt on the usefulness of the Minsk Group format.
    At the end of last year, the Minsk Group tried to persuade the two sides to accept a statement of basic principles, as a first step towards breaking the deadlock over Nagorno Karabakh's future--but no agreement was reached.
    President Aliyev has been steadily increasing his war rhetoric over the status of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic. Karabakh is a major election issue in Azerbaijan. With negotiations for a peaceful settlement at a standstill, Aliyev has been threatening to take Nagorno-Karabakh back by military force.
    On March 4, Azeri Armed Forces violated the Nagorno-Karabakh Ceasefire line and opened fire on Nagorno-Karabakh Republic Army positions northeast of the Martakert Region, temporarily capturing a Karabakh defense position.
    The attack, which was followed by protracted skirmishes throughout the month, was considered by Armenian officials and international mediators as unprecedented in its scale.
    Meanwhile, on March 14, the UN General Assembly adopted an Azeri drafted resolution, with a vote of 39, reaffirming the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, reiterating the right of return of internally displaced Azerbaijanis, and calling for withdrawal of Armenian forces from "occupied territories."
    The move was preceded by requests on March 12 from official Baku to the OSCE' secretariat for information on how to dissolve the Minsk Group.
    Armenia has repeatedly voiced its support for a compromise solution reached through peaceful negotiations in the Minsk Group format, but according to Manoyan, it's time to show Azerbaijan that Armenia is ready to take steps toward securing the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic if Azerbaijan continues its efforts to try and remove the conflict from the Minsk Group format.
    When asked by a reporter about the status of the Armenian Genocide Resolution in the US House of Representatives, Manoyan commented that H.Res.106 is still on the agenda. The resolution will be brought to a vote again, he assured, adding that the Armenian lobby and its friends in Washington have been waiting for the right opportunity to reintroduce the legislation.
    The principled position on the resolution by the Democratic presidential candidates makes it likely that the US Congress will reopen discussions on the issue, he said.
    Manoyan also discussed the recent US Ambassadorial nominee to Armenia. He said that the Armenian National Committee of America, will soon release its assessment of American President George Bushes nominee, Marie Yovanovitch.
    Washington has big interest in the region, Armenian in particular, Manoyan said.

House vote on Armenian Genocide resolution possible before summer vacation

The Armenian Genocide Resolution, H.Res.106, has never been removed from agenda, Hay Dat and Political Affairs Office Director

Kiro Manoyan told a news conference in Yerevan.
“I think that the vote may be held before the Congress goes on the summer vacation,” he said.
The Armenian Genocide Resolution was adopted by the House Foreign Affairs Committee with a vote 27 to 21 on October 10, 2007. The vote in the full House has not been scheduled yet. Meanwhile, several Congressmen recalled their signatures under pressure of the Turkish lobby.
As to nomination of Marie L. Yovanovitch to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Republic of Armenia, Mr Manoyan said, “The Bush administration has probably decided that long absence of Ambassador in Yerevan can affect relations with Armenia and damage U.S. positions in the entire region.”
U.S. Charge d’Affairs, Mr Joseph Pennington has been acting as Ambassador for 18 months already.
An earlier attempt to nominate Amb. Richard Hoagland to replace Amb. Evans was blocked by Sen. Robert Menendez (Dem.-N.J.), to protest the dismissal of Amb. Evans and to object to Amb. Hoagland’s poor choice of words in responding to Senators’ questions on the validity of the Armenian Genocide.

Armenian Jewish Community Calls on Israel to Recognize Genocide

YEREVAN --In an open letter to the Israeli Knesset, the Jewish community of Armenia Tuesday urged Israel's legislative body to "demonstrate reasonableness and adopt the Resolution recognizing the Armenian Genocide," Mediamax reported.
    "The discussion of the Armenian Genocide issue at the Knesset sitting is an important step in a country, the citizens of which suffered the horrors of the Holocaust and terrorism," the letter read. "Israel has shown the world how dear the human life is; how important the life of every Jew is; and what kind of response is awaiting those who made an assault against those lives."
    The letter noted that the recognition of the Armenian Genocide as the first genocide of the 20th century, would demonstrate the strength of a civilized society and the unity of the world.
    The Knesset has a duty to respect those who have died, as well as future generations by recognizing the genocide, the letter said. It is the responsibility of the body before its electorate, it added.
    "By demonstrating your principled position, loyalty, power, Intellect, wisdom and unity on the question of recognition of the Armenian Genocide you will be ennobled by your heirs," said the letter.
    "All Israeli officials, with whom we met, including the president Shimon Peres, have assured us that the initiative to discuss the Armenian Genocide at the Knesset will yield no results," said Hasan Murad Mercan, chairman of the Turkish parliamentary committee of foreign affairs and head of a Turkish delegation currently on a visit to Israel
    Speaking about discussion of the issue of the Armenian Genocide at the Knesset, the Turkish legislator said that Israeli officials also expressed opposition to the passage of the Armenian Genocide resolution pending in the US Congress.
    The Turkish parliamentary delegation met with Shimon Peres, the Knesset speaker Dalia Itzik, the head of the Turkish-Israeli parliamentary friendship group Avshalom Vilan. A meeting with the Israeli foreign minister Tzipi Livni was scheduled for Tuesday.

Andrew H. Tarsy Ex-ADL director set to join Facing History

Ex-ADL director looks ahead

Facing History and Ourselves, a Brookline non-profit that promotes tolerance, has hired Andrew H. Tarsy, the former regional director of the Anti-Defamation League New England as its chief institutional advancement officer.

“I am very excited,” Tarsy, who found himself embroiled in controversy last year, told the Advocate. “I have been an admirer of the organization for years; we are certainly not strangers.”
Tarsy will begin his position at Facing History, an educational organization that focuses on preventing prejudice by teaching about the Holocaust and other examples of mass genocide, in early April. Tarsy accepted the position, which is part of the senior leadership team, on March 25.
The former ADL director found himself at the center of a media conflagration beginning last August when several Massachusetts towns – among them Lexington, Newton and Watertown, home to a large Armenian population – severed ties with the ADL’s No Place for Hate antidiscrimination program because of the ADL National Director Abraham Foxman’s stance regarding the Amenian genocide. Foxman released a statement claiming the massacre was “tantamount to genocide,” but did not fully acknowledge the mass killing of some 1.5 million Armenians by the Turkish government in the early 1990s.
Tarsy, who publicly dissented from the national position, was fired and then rehired shortly after. He left the ADL in December and a search for his predecessor is still underway.
“I have been working with Facing History and Ourselves throughout my career,” he said. “It’s a real team effort over there. Everyone collaborates in a meaningful way.”
Marty Sleeper, associate executive director of Facing History and Ourselves, explained that Tarsy will help over see fund-raising and program development.
“We are excited to have him join us and to move forward into the next century. [Tarsy] shares a passion for what we do and he is committed to teaching the dangers of intolerance, in particular the genocides of the 20th century,” Sleeper said.
Facing History offers classroom and professional development guides, including curricular resources, to educate and examine racism, prejudice, and anti-Semitism with the hopes of fostering humane and informed citizens and students.
The international organization has programs in 120 countries and has reached more than 1.6 million students around the world each year, Sleeper noted. They have published a book on the Armenian genocide entitled “Crimes Against Humanity and Civilization: The Genocide of the Armenians,” a book exploring the roots of racism entitled “Race and Membership in American History: The Eugenics Movement,” and many Holocaust resource guides.
As Tarsy prepares to leave a more political role behind, members of the Boston Jewish community feel that his role will allow him to express his views more openly.
“I think this is a wonderful opportunity for him,” said Nancy K. Kaufman, executive director of The Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Boston. “I think he will be able to speak freely about the issues he is most passionate about including speaking out against genocide, whether that is the Armenian or Jewish genocide.”
James Rudolph, chair of the ADL regional board of directors, added that they wish Tarsy mazel tov.
“I just want to wish Andy the best of luck,” he said. “He is a great leader and I enjoyed working with him.” When asked if the ADL is hoping to mend the severed ties, he said that it is a “totally separate issue. The only fair thing to say is that we congratulate him.”
Sleeper added that Facing History and Ourselves is gearing up for a year of big initiatives.
“We are moving forward on a strategic plan that will position us in the 20th century,” he said. “That means that we have a number of initiatives working globally in the fields of technology and publishing, at the same time as making sure that teachers around the country have a core knowledge and are able to pass on the lessons on the Holocaust. Andy is going to help us do this.”
And Tarsy, with a little chuckle, added: “I will be very busy for the foreseeable future.”

New York AYF Organizes Discussion on ANCA Gateway, Internship Programs

New York, NY—On March 27, Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) Capital Gateway Program director Serouj Aprahamian lectured to a group of young Armenian-Americans about ANCA internship opportunities in Washington, DC. Organized by the New York Hyortik Armenian Youth Federation (AYF) chapter, the event took place at St. Illuminator's Armenian Cathedral in Manhattan. Aside from numerous young professionals, AYF members from New York, New Jersey, and members from Hunter's Armenian Club were in attendance.
During the lecture Aprahamian spoke about the Capital Gateway program while the audience listened with interest. The ANCA offers many different internship opportunities to students and young Armenian professionals and has been doing so for more than two decades, said Aprahamian. Such programs including the Leo Sarkisian Summer Internship Program as well as the Capital Gateway Program, which brings out recent college grads to Washington, DC.
A short movie was then screened showing alumni and current fellows talking about their program experience. In the film numerous young Armenian-Americans voiced their thanks to the ANCA for giving them opportunities that eventually led to their current career advancements. ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian spoke in the film about the importance of having Armenians not only as interns working at large firms and Congressional offices, but of one day becoming CEO's and Senators themselves. Copies of the DVD were also passed out to each attendee.
After the lecture Aprahamian gave the floor to ANCA Eastern Region director Karine Birazian who also addressed the audience, stressing the importance of having a strong ANC presence in New York City. She outlined local opportunities to help out at the ANC Eastern Region office in Manhattan.
"This event was a good learning experience not only in respect to the ANCA Internship program but about ANCA's role in Washington. Talking to Serouj after the program, I think I'm definitely going to give Capital Gateway a try," said Hyortik member Maral Najjarian.
For more information on the opportunities the ANCA has to offer with Internships please visit: www.anca.org, and click on “Captial Gateway.”
 

ANC-WR Welcomes New Chairman Vicken Sonentz-Papazian

Los Angeles, CA – The Armenian National Committee – Western Region (ANC-WR) this week welcomed long time activist Vicken Sonentz-Papazian as its new chairman. Originally from Watertown, Massachusetts, Papazian has been involved with the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) since 1985.
"I look forward to building on the impressive successes of the ANC-WR," stated Papazian. "This is a great opportunity to work with the board of directors and community leaders," he added.
In addition to working at the ANCA office in Washington D.C. from 1985-1987, Papazian also served as the ANCA Executive Director from 1991-1993. He joined ANC-WR as the executive director from 1995-2000 shortly after.
Papazian, who has been a licensed attorney since 1991, is admitted to practice law in California and the District of Columbia. He has been instrumental in promoting Armenian issues on Capitol Hill, within the United Nations and on the state, county and local levels.
The Armenian National Committee - Western Region is the largest and most influential Armenian American grassroots advocacy organization in the Western United States. Working in coordination with a network of offices, chapters, and supporters throughout the Western United States and affiliated organizations around the country, the ANC-WR advances the concerns of the Armenian American community on a broad range of issues.

Armenian Genocide 93rd anniversary to be marked in New York

The Armenian National Committee of New York will host the 93rd Commemoration of the Armenian Genocide at City Hall Chambers on April 25th at 5:30 P.M. The evening will feature Professor Henry Theriault of Worcester State College as the main speaker and Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan, who will address the community and give the invocation, reported the ANC-NYC.
"While causing New York’s Armenian community to reflect thoughtfully on the horrible catastrophe that befell our people, Dr. Theriault will also connect the Armenian Cause to the broader struggle for advancing international human rights," said Doug Geogerian of the Armenian National Committee of New York.
Elected official at the local, state and federal levels will attend and pay tribute to the systematic murder of 1.5 million Armenians, a genocide, which the perpetrator, the Turkish government, continues to deny to this day. The commemoration will also include musical work performed in memory of the crime committed against the Armenian nation.
The evening’s main speaker will be Dr. Henry Theriault, who has written extensively on the subject of genocide and the dispossession of indigenous peoples. While he has dealt at length with the Armenian case, which concerns his own ancestry, Theriault’s work is broad and examines the impact of genocide against Africans, Native Americans and other victim groups.

Kocharian holds farewell meeting with heads of security and diplomatic agencies

Outgoing President Robert Kocharian held a farewell meeting with the leaders of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Defense and Justice as well as with Police and National Security chiefs, the President’s press office reported.
Mr Kochraian thanked all for joint work and their personal contribution to the state building process.
“You head the structures responsible for security and international image of the republic. You have fulfilled all tasks you were charged with but there is still a great deal of work to do,” he said.
In conclusion, the outgoing President wished the officials every success in the name of security of the nation and country. “Armenia has a bright future. And the new President has every possibility for efficient government,” he said.

Kocharian Says Armenia's Future Bright

YEREVAN (Combined Sources)-Outgoing Armenian President Robert Kocharian, who on Wednesday will be stepping down as Armenia's second president, met Monday with top army brass, senior Foreign Ministry diplomats, and high ranking officials from the Police Department, Ministry of Justice and the National Security Service.
    The outgoing president told the agency heads that Armenia has a bright future and the president-elect, Serzh Sarkisian, will enter office with the opportunity to further the development of the state.
    Thanking the agency heads for their "productive" and "exceptional" contributions to the formation of the state, Kocharian assessed the progress of the government agencies in the development of state structures during his two terms in office. The past ten years have seen the development of the country's domestic and foreign agencies, Kocharian said. Without this development, there could be no Armenian state, he added.
    "You are the heads of agencies that are responsible for the country's and people's security, for law and order, and for Armenia's international reputation," he said. "We can say for certain that in this regard your agencies have, by and large, met their responsibilities, although there is always room for improvement."
    Kocharian, however, noted that he wished that there was a greater impetus for the agency heads and officials to work more productively toward greater progress in strengthening the country's and its citizens' security.
    During a press conference later in the day, Kocharian told reporters that he believed Armenia's economy is slated for continued growth and sustainable development despite a growing global recession.
    "Economic indices for 2007 show that the country is in a state of sustainable development," said Kocharian, who has overseen almost a decade of double-digit growth in Armenia.
    He said that there was a decline in 2008 trade figures for March, but explained that this was "natural" and a result of the internal political situation connected to the presidential elections.
    "But it is obvious that all this is being overcome," he said.
    Despite a global recession, Armenia has the opportunity to end the year with serious economic growth, he told reporters.
    "[The recession] may have a negative impact on Armenia's economic development rates but I am sure that even under these conditions we can conduct a policy that will allow Armenia to bypass the negative impact of the global economic recession," he said.
    He, however, did not specify what type of policies Armenia would need to implement to realize circumvent the global recession and realize his positive forecast.     According to him, Armenia will not be greatly affected by its current internal political situation or a global economic crisis because it does not have a developed capital and securities market. According to the outgoing president, such developments have more profound effects on countries with developed financial sectors. Armenia in this regard is underdeveloped, explained.
    Armenia's major economic market is in real estate and construction, Kocharian said, adding that it's securities and capital markets are almost non-existent. But Kocharian said he does not see any major problems with the current level of Armenia's economic development.
    Kocharian refused to answer questions regarding his future posed by the US-funded Armenia Liberty organization; citing their known record as an incendiary and disruptive foreign force.
    "I respect those Armenian mass media outlets that are not financed by other governments," he said.

Verjine Svazlian Discusses 53 years of Collecting Genocide Testimonies and Songs

SAN FRANCISCO--Verjine Svazlian, Lead Researcher at the Institute of Archeology and Ethnography at the Academy of Sciences in Armenia, presented her research on the oral tradition of Armenian Genocide survivors, through their eye-witness testimonies and songs revealing their experience.
    Co-sponsored by the Bay Area Armenian National Committee, the UC Berkeley Armenian Studies Program and the Hamazkayin Armenian Cultural and Educational Society, Svazlian's presentation was based on the many oral histories of Armenian Genocide survivors, which she personally collected beginning in 1955 from 100 localities in Western Armenia.  She undertook these efforts often at great personal risk from authorities in the former Soviet Union and Turkey.  Her latest book, translated from Armenian into English, Russian, Turkish, French, and other languages is titled, "The Armenian Genocide and the People's Historical Memory."
    "The Armenian Genocide, as an international political crime against humanity, has become, by the brutal constraint of history, an inseparable part of the national identity, the thought and the spiritual-conscious inner world of the Armenian people," said Svazlian, who was born in Egypt and immigrated with her family to Soviet Armenia in 1947.  "There is no man without memory. Similarly, there cannot exist a nation without memory," said Svazlian.
    Svazlian began collecting Genocide testimonies as a student at the Yerevan Khachatour Abovian Pedagogical University, walking door-to-door and village-to-village, searching for Armenian Genocide survivors who had been rescued.  Her work is particularly valuable not only because of its volume, but because of the short amount of time that had passed since the Genocide.  One of her subjects, Maritsa Papazian was born in 1874, in Samsun. Many of the survivors Svazlian interviewed were "repatriates" to Soviet Armenia, living in newly built districts on the outskirts of Yerevan (like Nor Aresh, Nor Giligia, Nor Zeytoun, Nor Marash, etc.)
    Svazlian spoke about the circumstances of her meetings with the survivors.  "Upon meeting the eyewitness survivors miraculously saved from the Armenian Genocide, I always found them silent, reticent and deep in thought.  There was valid reason for this mysterious silence, since the political obstacles prevailing in Soviet Armenia for many decades did not allow them to tell about or to narrate their past in a free and unconstrained manner."
    Because of these circumstances and the horrors the survivors had experienced, Svazlian said she went to great lengths to earn the trust and friendship of her subjects, in order to obtain the most genuine and comprehensive testimonies.  They include descriptions of a wide range of topics: the native land, patriarchal life and customs, communal-political life, historical events, discriminatory practices (i.e. taxes, prohibitions directed only against Armenians), and the inhumanities of the forced exile, murders, mutilations, and the holocaust, all of which remained vivid in many of the survivors' memories.
    Svazlian read from several testimonies, including that of Nektar Gasparian, born in 1910 in Ardvin, who confessed, “More than 80 years have passed, but I cannot forget up to this day my prematurely dead beloved father, mother, uncle, grandmother, our neighbors and all my relatives who were brutally killed, and we were left lonely and helpless.  During all my life I have always remembered those appalling scenes, which I have seen with my own eyes and I have had no rest ever since.  I have shed tears so often...” Vergin? Gasparian, born in 1912 in Aintap said in her interview, “The Turks slaughtered my father Krikor, my mother Doudou, my brother Hagop and my sister Nouritsa before my eyes. I have seen all that with my own eyes and cannot forget until this day.”
    A common element in the interviews were the survivors' tally of members of their extended family - how many were massacred, and how many survived.  Hazarkhan Torossian born in 1902 in Balou said," So many years have passed, but up 'til now I cannot get to sleep at nights, my past comes in front of my eyes, I count the dead and the living.”  Hrant Gasparian, born in 1908 in Mush said, "I told you what I have seen.  What I have seen is in front of my eyes.  We have brought nothing from Khnous. We have only saved our souls.  Our large family was composed of 143 souls.  Only one sister, one brother, my mother and I were saved.”  And Vergin? Nadjarian born in 1910 in Malatia said, “Our family was very large, we were about 150-200 souls.  My mother's brothers, my father's sisters, and brothers.  They slaughtered them all on the road to Der-Zor.  Only three of us were left: I, my mother and my brother.”
    Through her interviews, which Svazlian conducted in written, audio taped, and videotaped form and in different dialects and languages, she also captured testimonies about the self-defense actions that took place in several Armenian towns attacked by the Turkish military (as in Van, Shatakh, Shabin-Karahisar, Sassoun, Musa Dagh, Urfa, and others.)
    Svazlian discussed the wisdom also revealed by many of her subjects.  She quoted Armenian Genocide survivor Artavazd Ktradsian, born in Adabazar in 1901, who began is memoir with the words, "A man should be a man, whether he is an Armenian or a Turk."  She also said that many of her subjects harbored no ill will or hatred toward Turks in general, pointing out testimonies that included descriptions of the neighborly relations between the two peoples. Arakel Tagoyan, who was born in 1902 in Derdjan, testified about his village's pilgrimage to the monastery of St. Garabed in Mush, saying, "Besides the pilgrims, Turkish and Kurdish inhabitants also gathered, ate the offering with us, rejoiced with us, sang and danced.  They brought sick people on the tomb of St. Garabed to be healed.”
    The testimonies also reveal various forms of popular folklore (lamentations, songs, parables, proverbs, prayers, oaths, etc.), which not only lend a more valuable ethnographic study, but also help to confirm the reliability of the survivors' narratives.  Svazlian said that some of the subjects even took it upon themselves to make the sign of a cross and swear to the truthfulness of their statements.  One survivor from Erzeroum, Loris Papikian, born in 1903, stated at the beginning of her interview, "...I should tell you first that if I deliberately color the events and the people, let me be cursed and be worthy of general contempt...”
    Svazlian also played excerpts of survivors singing songs about the Armenian Genocide.  "The authors of those historical songs were mainly the Armenian women," said Svazlian.  "Those horrifying impressions were so strong and profound that these songs have often taken a poetic shape as the lament woven by the survivor from Mush, Shogher Tonoyan (born in 1901), which she communicated to me with tearful eyes and moans:
 
"...Morning and night, I hear cries and laments,
I have no rest, no peace, and no sleep,
I close my eyes and always see dead bodies,
I lost my kin, friends, land, and home; "

    "With their originality and ideological contents, these historical songs are not only novelties in the fields of Armenian Folklore and Armenian Genocide studies," said Svazlian, "but they also provide the possibility for comprehending, in a new fashion, the given historical period with its specific aspects."
    Svazlian has collected a variety of songs, divided into categories according to the experience they communicate: "Songs of mobilization, arm-collection and imprisonment," "Songs of deportation and massacre," "Songs of child-deprived mothers, orphans and orphanages," "Patriotic and heroic battle songs," and “Songs of the lost Homeland and of the rightful claim."
    Many survivors from different regions sang the same songs, with variations.  The songs had been passed along extensively by word of mouth.  Many of them were composed and sung in Turkish, especially in towns where speaking Armenian was forbidden.  Numerous interviews attested to the practice of Turkish authorities cutting out the tongues of those speaking and/or teaching the Armenian language, and one of the collected songs included the refrain:
"They entered the school and caught the school-mistress,  Ah, alas!
They opened her mouth and cut her tongue,  Ah, alas!"
    Svazlian provided the following examples of Turkish-language songs about the Genocide:

Sabahtan kalktim kapi kapali,
Binbai geliyor eli sopali,
Uruna birakmi k?r ve topali,
Dininin u?runa ?len Ermeni!

I got up in the morning; the door was closed,
The major came, a club in his hand,
The blind and the lame spread before him,
Armenians dying for the sake of faith!

Or:
Der Zor dedikleri b?y?k kasaba,
Kesilen Ermeni gelmez hesaba,
Osmanli efradi d?nm? kasaba,
Dininin uruna ?len Ermeni!

The place called Der-Zor was a large locality,
With innumerable slaughtered Armenians,
The Ottoman chiefs have become butchers,
Armenians dying for the sake of faith!

Or:

Der Zor ??llerini b?r?d? duman,
Oy anam, oy anam, halimiz yaman!
?nsan ve yeil boyandu kana
Dininin u?runa ?len Ermeni!

The desert of Der-Zor was covered with mist,
Oh, mother! Oh, mother! Our condition was lamentable,
People and grass were stained with blood,
Armenians dying for the sake of faith!

    Svazlian's interviews included survivors who were already adults during the Armenian Genocide.  Some of their testimonies can be quite graphic and look at the Genocide in the context of world politics.  An example is Hagop Papazian, born in 1891 in Sivrihissar. Papazian was a graduate of Istanbul Medical University, who had served in the Turkish army as a medical officer and had seen all the atrocities first hand: “...When I recall all that I think to myself: none of the civilized countries took any step towards humanism.  Therefore, willy-nilly they encouraged the Turks to annihilate millions of unarmed and defenseless, innocent Armenians of Western Armenia, a whole nation, from the old to the young with such cruelty that hadn't been heard or written in the history of mankind: people were tortured and tormented to death, held captive, kidnapped, raped, forcibly turned into Turks, slaughtered, sent to the gallows, some were hanged head-down and left to die in torments.  They imprisoned hundreds of people in churches and barns, hungry and thirsty, for several days and then they poured kerosene on them and burned them to ashes.  Countless, innumerable people were drowned in the Euphrates River.  On both sides of the road of exile, they buried small children alive up to their neck and left them to die, and the deported people were led by the same road to see these atrocities and to feel violent grief.  The Turks cut open the bellies of pregnant women with swords, they violated the young virgin girls, kidnapped young women to make them concubines in their harems, they forced aged and young people to become Turks and speak only Turkish...  The Armenian nation was isolated and was in a tragic situation.  The Armenians lost their historical native land; millions of Armenians were martyred ruthlessly.  And all that took place before the eyes of civilized humanity, by their knowledge and permission.  The Great States acted as Pilates for their future material interests and willy-nilly allowed the Grey Wolf 's the Turks 's to torture and devour an unarmed and defenseless nation.  They encouraged the Turks, thus becoming accomplices in the Armenian Genocide...”
    The wealth of eye-witness testimonies that Svazlian has accumulated over the decades was meant to be absorbed by future generations, both to give them a knowledge of their past and to counter historical revisionism and genocide denial.  She used the testimony of Dikran Ohanian, born in 1902 in Kamakh, to illustrate her purpose. Ohanian said, “...My past is not only my past, but it is my nation's past as well.”

20th Aniversary of Artsakhs Liberation Movement

Those who wish to obtain more information,  email

info@artsakhISarmenia.com , or visit www.artsakhISarmenia.com.

Congress Remembers Genocide Survivor

WASHINGTON--Congressman Frank Pallone (D-NJ-6) Monday paid tribute on the House floor in memory of Armenian Genocide survivor Askouhy Jallyan-Vassilian who passed away on February 27th, 2008, shortly after celebrating her 94th birthday.
    Vassilian, who was present during the House Foreign Affairs Committee markup of H.Res.106, the Armenian Genocide Resolution, on October 10, 2007, lived in Cong. Pallone's district, and was one of the remaining survivors of the genocide.
    Following Rep. Pallone's remarks, her son, Dr. Asbed Vassilian, a professor of chemistry and director of the Armenian Studies Program at Rutgers University in New Jersey, reflected on Cong. Pallone's statement with the following:
    Congressman Frank Pallone's remarks are really touching, and I am personally grateful that his office, upon your request, made those remarks. Regarding my mother, she just wanted justice to prevail and that all those who perished in 1915 and who did not have any descendents as she did as a survivor, should be recognized and their memories eternally kept alive. Across from her bed, she had the picture of her father, Nazaret, who she lost when she was ten months old. She never knew him. My grandmother had the picture above her bed all the time she was alive, and my mother kept it after my grandmother died and put it across her bed so that every night she would look at it before going to bed.
    Having seen and experienced the good, the bad and the ugly, my mother had a calming effect on the new generation whenever they came and complained about the problems they were having in their lives. She would tell them to be happy with what they have, and not sad or angry with what they lack; mainly, count your blessings and thank God. She would tell them to look at the problems with the microscope inverted: rather than seeing small things big, try to see the big things small. She was a happy, energetic, sharp minded, and most importantly, content, reconciled with her life, with its ups and downs. She was thankful to the St. Stepanos Church community for giving her the spiritual nourishment and to her new host country, the United States, for taking care of her over so many years. I will always miss her.
The following is the text of the remarks offered by Cong. Pallone”
IN HONOR OF ASKOUHY JALLYAN-VASSILIAN--Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Askouhy Jallyan-Vassilian and her dedication to her community and the Armenian people. Mrs. Jallyan-Vassilian was a survivor of the genocide inflicted upon the Armenian people. She was the embodiment of the enduring human spirit.
    Mrs. Jallyan-Vassilian was born Askouhy Jallyan on February 12, 1914, in Orfa, Turkey. Her mother, Khanem, had married in 1913 and was 18 years old when she gave birth to her only daughter. Khanem was widowed in 1915 when her husband, Nazaret, was murdered. Mrs. Jallyan-Vassilian was able to flee the horrors of genocide when she escaped with her mother to neighboring Syria.
    Later, Mrs. Jallyan-Vassilian married her husband Missak Vassilian at the age of 19. Together they raised three sons and a daughter. She was also the proud grandmother of 10 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren. Her son, Asbed Vassilian, is currently a professor of chemistry at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, and is the head of that school's Armenian studies program.
    On October 10, 2007, Mrs. Jallyan-Vassilian attended a markup session of the House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs as it worked on a resolution recognizing the deplorable deprivation of human rights that occurred during the Armenian genocide. She had waited 92 years for the United States Congress to recognize the genocide and suffering that her people had endured at the hands of hate and intolerance.
    Mrs. Jallyan-Vassilian passed away on February 27, 2008. She will be remembered for her devotion to her Armenian heritage and her commitment to the cause of those Armenians who suffered wanton violence and cruelty.
    Madam Speaker, I sincerely hope that my colleagues will join me in celebrating the life of Askouhy Jallyan-Vassilian. Her legacy will continue to serve as a reminder of the audacity of human resilience.
 

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT VISITS MEMBERS OF GOVERNMENT

 YEREVAN, APRIL 4, ... Armenian President Robert Kocharian visited today members of the government after the session and thanked them for the joint long-lasting work.
   Governmental press service told  that the president particularly said, “I had a special wish to come here to express gratitude to all of you for the joint long-lasting work. I am thankful to the fate that I had luck to bear responsibility for Armenia during 10 years. There were very interesting, difficult and full years. The country has passed a large way of development. A large-scale of reforms have been conducted in the country in all the spheres and of course the main aim of the reforms was the modernization of the country.
   The results are obvious: the life quality of our citizens has notably improved but we all must realize that we have still a lot to do. The new president and the government face many challenges and issues the solution of which is not less difficult and less responsible and fatal for the country. They are first of all the reforms of the second generation in the economic sphere which need more professional approaches and greater efforts and we must take into consideration that all this will be in more difficult period of time as by all predictions the global economy is expecting to fall.
   The Republic of Armenia continues facing the security issue. During the last years the world has not become more secure, our region continues to be full of controversies and it is necessary to undertake successful steps for more consolidation of the country’s security. Of course all this must be combined with flexible and relevant diplomatic steps.
   I am sure that steps must be undertaken for consolidation of basis of the statehood. There are forces outside as well which do not want to see stable and prosperous Armenia. Also, unfortunately, they are figures outside who are ready to serve the purpose. Weak, easily affected country cannot ensure its security and the security of its citizens and cannot ensure serious democratic achievements which we had during these years, and, of course, I encourage and wish that the future president, government succeed in confronting all those challenges. Thank you all. I wish all of you high mood and all the best.”

ANC-Glendale Annual Blood Drive
In Commemoration of the Armenian Genocide
Sunday, April 20, 2008
10am-4pm
St. Mary's Armenian Church
500 S. Central Ave.
Glendale, CA
To Schedule a Blood Donation Appointment Call 818.243.3444
Go to www.givelife.org and Enter Sponsor Code: stmaryarmenian

THIRD ANNUAL ARMENIAN INDEPENDENCE DAY FESTIVAL SET TO TAKE PLACE IN LITTLE ARMENIA

Hollywood, CA - The Armenian Cultural Foundation (ACF) is pleased to announce that it will host the third annual Armenian Independence Day Festival on Sunday, June 1, 2008 from 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. in Little Armenia, Hollywood. Building on the successes of previous years, this year's festival promises a larger scale celebration, which will be made possible with the assistance of corporate and community sponsors, as well as the co-sponsorship of Los Angeles City Council President Eric Garcetti, whose district encompasses Little Armenia.
"This is truly a memorable event that thousands of community members look forward to and return to year after year. It is a unique opportunity to commemorate a milestone in Armenian history and to showcase the cultural wealth of the Armenian people," stated Saro Shirinian, Festival Committee Chairperson.
The thousands of participants and dignitaries who have attended the festival in previous years include Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Members of Congress, State Senators and Assemblymembers, and Los Angeles City Councilmembers, all of whom were entertained by a variety of musical and dance performances while participating in the dancing of the traditional Armenian "shoorch bars" and sampling Armenian cuisine. Children also enjoyed the Festival's "kid's zone", which included a petting zoo, various games and rides.
The Annual Armenian Festival in Little Armenia is the largest of its’ kind and is organized by the Armenian Independence Day Festival Committee, under the auspices of the Armenian Cultural Foundation. The festival marks Armenia's first independence on May 28, 1918, which came after 600 years of Ottoman Turkish oppression. The Republic established on this date set the foundation for today's independent Republic of Armenia, which was one of the first former Soviet Republics to declare independence on September 21, 1991.
Those who wish to obtain more information about the festival, sponsorship opportunities or obtaining booths, are encouraged to visit www.littlearmeniafestival.com or call (818) 243-9264.

ANC Glendale Partners with YWCA for Sexual Assault Awareness Month

ANC-Glendale Partners with City of Glendale, Commision on the Status of Women and YWCA for Sexual Assault Awareness Month
April 4, 2008

Pelosi willing to bring Armenian Genocide Resolution to House floor

PanARMENIAN.Net.. Discussion of the Armenian Genocide Resolution, H.Res.106, approved by the House Foreign Affairs Committee is still on the agenda, AAA Regional Director for Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh said Friday.
“Ms. Pelosi is willing to bring the Armenian Genocide to House floor. She is just awaiting congressional support essential for passage of the measure,” Arpi Vartanian said.
“The resolution is co-sponsored by 211 Congressmen against the required 218. The Armenian Assembly of America is working for the purpose,” she said, Novosti Armenia reports.
H.Res.106 was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives on January 30, 2007. It doesn’t need approval by the Senate or President.

Thursday  April  3,  2008                                

ARF Will Participate in Government Only Based on its Political Proposals

YEREVAN--In an interview with Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Armenian Revolutionary Federation Bureau Chairman Hrant Markarian Wednesday said his party will participate in the formation of a new government only based on its political proposals.
    Markarian emphasized that no decision has  been made on specific positions and that discussion were still underway in the formation of the government.
    He also denied that the ARF was coveting the foreign ministry and the soon to be created Diaspora ministry, saying that Diaspora minister should not have any party affiliation.
    “It's natural that any political party would want a presence in more influential areas,” said Markarian defining influential as the power or financial ministries.
    In responding to a question about the defense ministry, Markarian said that the ARF has qualified people not just for that ministry but others as well.
    “I'm not really worried about what's going to happen in the future. If everything goes well, then we are on the good side; if something goes against our [political] will and toward bad, we always have the political will to find our proper place in this political situation,” said Markarian, adding “if what we agreed to does not work, we will definitely get out.”
    Markarian also explained that there were attempts by foreign governments--through Levon Ter-Petrosian--to stage a “color revolution” in Armenia, because by creating a weak Armenia foreign intervention would be easy.
    Markarian also expressed hope that the issue of recently arrested individuals will be resolved shortly and in a manner that corresponds with the rule of law.

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ARF Joined Coalition Only After Long Deliberation

YEREVAN (Armenpress)--A member of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation of Armenia's Parliamentary Faction welcomed President-Elect Serzh Sarkisian's decision to make radical changes in the new government and said her party's decision to become part of the new coalition government came after "protracted and serious" deliberation.
    Speaking at a news conference Alvard Petrosian said the move was the right decision. She said her party does not support individuals, but plans of actions.
    "The ARF is a party that had to sacrifice a lot," she said. "Programs for action and not individuals are what's important to us and the new government is going to pursue a [program] that we have been defending over the last ten years."
    There is currently an atmosphere of mistrust that continues to linger on in the country, she said. But this does not preclude Armenian's from coming together to work for the betterment of the country, she added.
    The authorities, the opposition and the general population need to look deeper into what really had happened on March 1 in order to diffuse lingering suspicions and tensions.
    She also said Armenians should not be divided into "clans" each with their own chieftains.
    "There is much more that unites us, than divides and the ultimate victory belongs to all and not to separate individuals," she said.

Wednesday  April 2,  2008                                         

Homenetmen Inaugurates New Camp

FRAZIER PARK, Calif.--The Homenetmen Western Regional Executive Sunday during a special ceremony, inaugurated its newly acquired 26-acre Homenetmen Campt Tecuya campsite at the base of Mt. Pinos in the Los Padres National Park.
    Present at the inauguration were Western Prelate Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian, Right Rev. Miuron Aznigian, Bichop Bartev Giulumian, Rev. Vazken Movsessian, Homenetmen Central Committee representative Koko Balian, Armenian Revolutionary Federation Western US Central Committee member Hagop Tufenkjian, American Boy Scouts Verdugo Hills Council representative Dennis Fors, representatives of sister organizations, past Homenetmen Central and Regional committee members and other guests.
    The festivities began with the Homenetmen marching band leading the precession of hundreds of scouts representing almost all chapters of the organization.
    Following a ribbon cutting ceremony and the traditional blessing of water and salt, Homenetmen representatives explained the importance and significance of Camp Tecuya to furthering the organization's activities.
    Camp Tecuya will offer year-round scouting and boasts a number of facilities to make it one of the premier campgrounds in Southern California.
    Previously a Girl Scout camp, Homenetmen Camp Tecuya is in pristine condition. Many of the structures, including the cabins, lodge, large dining hall and fully equipped gourmet kitchen, are newly renovated.
     Other facilities include a large swimming pool, corral and horseback riding arena, archery range, spacious fire ring and campfire area, outdoor volleyball court, assembly area, large on-site parking lot, as well as an equally large, off-site lot.
    With a membership of 8300 members, Homenetmen, Western USA continues to grow at a consistently rapid pace.

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Military parade in Yerevan confirmed  pdf in Armenian

The news that Armenian authorities decided to stage a ‘military parade’ in Yerevan on 9 April may have seemed unbelievable - no one in his rational mind would have even thought about such possibility after what happened in Yerevan .
But this was confirmed yesterday by Seyran Shahsuvaryan, spokesman for the Ministry of Defense. He also states that no tanks will be seen during the parade, only soldiers, as if it makes the whole idea looking more acceptable.
And to confirm this news further, InfoArmenia publishes today a copy of decree on ‘military parade’ by Defense Minister (below). Interestingly, this decree was signed on the last day of ‘state of emergency’ - 20 March 2008.

Tuesday  April 1,  2008                                              

Kocharian Visits Karabakh

STEPANAKERT (Combined Sources)--President of Nagorno Karabakh Republic Bako Sahakian met Monday with Armenian President Robert Kocharian, who is in Stepanakert on a working visit.
    The Karabakh presidential press service told Armenpress that during the meeting the interlocutors discussed the further development of ties between the two republics, issues on Nagorno Karabakh social-economic situation as well as prospects of regulation of the Karabakh conflict.
    Sahakian awarded Kocharian with the Gregory the Illuminator Medal of Honor for his years of hard work and cooperation with the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic.
    Later in the day, Kocharian met with representatives from the Karabakh Republic's parliament and government. Karabakh Prime Minister Ara Harutiunian discussed with Kocharian the Karabakh government's plan to address social and economic problems, in particular, housing, infrastructures, development of agriculture and other spheres of economy.
    Kocharian told Harutiunian to publish the details of the government's programs on its website for every Karabakh citizen to know the status of different spheres of the economy. The government of Armenia has been trying this out and it has had a positive affect, he added.

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Lachin Vital to Armenian National Security, Says Bako Sahakian

STEPANAKERT (Armenpress)-The Kashatagh (Lachin) region in the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic is of strategic significance for the Armenian Nation, said Nagorno-Karabakh President Bako Sahakian during a three-day conference on the development of the region held this weekend in Kashatagh's Berdzor district center.
    "This conference, which is devoted to the development of the Kashatagh region, is the first of its kind and I hope that it will become a basis for holding similar events in the future." President Sahakian said in his opening remarks. "It will promote effective solutions for the problems existing in the region, as well as the realization of programs aimed at its further development"
    "It is no coincidence that within nearly 70 years our enemy turned this territory into a wedge between Armenia and Artsakh. The region's role has deeply changed since May of 1992, and the narrow section liberated in that period became a real lifeline for the people of Artsakh," he said.
    The Kashatagh region has both a political and economic significance, according to Sahakian, who explained the regions development as a guarantor of national security. .
    "We have to undertake the region's development, create a stable and competitive economy, increase the level of the people's welfare, and improve the people's living conditions," he said. "A strong, developed and populated Kashatagh will create stable background for reinforcement of positions not only in the negotiation process on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement, but also on the front line making it more protected and secure."
    The financial aid for the region's development will considerably increase, Sahakian stated.
    Kashatagh's budget allocation for 2008 is 3.7 billion drams, Sahakian said. This figure exceeds the previous year's amount by 40 percent. 1 billion drams are being allocated for construction, while 400 million drams are being allocated for capital investment.
    Along with economic development, the government is also providing funding for social reforms for Kashatagh's population, Sahakian added.
    Representatives of 40 organizations of the Armenian Diaspora and independent entrepreneurs and benefactors participated in the conference where various programs aimed at stimulating the development of the region, securing stable economic growth, solving education and health care problems, and improving the demographic situation were presented.
    The attendees of the conference also visited the region's villages and familiarized themselves with the situation on the ground.