Friday  February  29,  2008                                            

A.R.F. meets with Russian Presidential Candidates

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National Assembly Accepts Hovannesian Resignation

YEREVAN (Yerkir)--The National Assembly of Armenia accepted Hovannesian's resignation Thursday.
    According to Armenian law, the vice speaker has three days to renege on his decision, after which the resignation becomes permanent and cannot be overturned, Speaker of the National Assembly Tigran Torosian said.
    The Speaker thanked Hovannesian for his efficient and dedicated work in the office and voiced hope that he will continue with his activities as a lawmaker.
    Hovannesian had submitted his resignation last Friday, explaining his decision as a response to numerous violations during the election process.

Wednesday  February  27,  2008                                     

A.R.F. Press Conference Clarifies Post-Election Position

YEREVAN (Yerkir)--The Armenian Revolutionary Federation Supreme Council of Armenia Tuesday reiterated its position to resign from its government positions and called for the dissolution of the ruling coalition in parliament.
    The announcement came during a press conference at the National Assembly Tuesday where ARF Supreme Council of Armenia Representative Armen Rustamian and ARF Bureau member and Presidential Candidate Vahan Hovannesian discussed the post-election situation in Armenia.
    Rustamian told reporters that the ARF reiterates its position stated in the 2007 cooperation agreement with the ruling coalition and is ready to give up the government offices it serves.
    "We are requesting that that the coalition stop its cooperation," Rustamian said.
    In what appears to be a possible switch to opposition within the parliament, Rustamian, who served as Hovannesian's campaign manager, told reporters that the ARF ministers in the government will resign from their posts before the new president-elect is to be inaugurated on April 9. ARF parliamentarians currently serve as the ministers of Agriculture, the Minister of Education and Science and the Minister of Labor and Social Affairs.
    Two artificial poles have emerged within the society and ARF will act as an independent force from this point forward, he said, adding that the party will not be put in a position where it has to act against one political pole in favor of another.
    The ARF is ready, instead, to work in order to bridge the post-election divide that has emerged in the country, Rustamian exclaimed.
    Rustamian told reporters that the ARF has realized the nature of the problem and is seeking changes to the electoral code that will secure effective mechanisms for supervising the elections and preventing massive vote rigging and other manifestations of electoral fraud. Stable democratic development and the establishment of democratic traditions in Armenia have been the focus of the ARF's platform since the 2007 parliamentary elections.
The electoral system in Armenia is deeply flawed, Rustamian said. The election of Serzh Sarkisian, he explained, is a direct result of this flawed system and thus cannot be disputed. The system is what must be disputed, he added.
    "The elections once again revealed that there are two key problems in Armenia," said Rustamian. "The electoral system does not allow for people's real preferences to be expressed through the ballot, while the methods of preventing election fraud available to our society are very limited."
Rustamian pointed to the current situation in the country as being a logical outgrowth of the fact that political groups and civil society as a whole, have very few opportunities to supervise the electoral process in order thwart election fraud.
    It will be the ARF's goal to address this problem as well as the failures of the electoral system in its future activities, Hovannesian added.
    The ARF came to these conclusions based on the information received from the electoral commissions and the complaints and observations

from people throughout the regions of Armenia, Rustamian explained.
    Hovannesian echoed the sentiments expressed in the official statement released by the ARF Supreme Council on Monday. Like previous elections in Armenia, he said, this one was also marred by reports of fraud in several election precincts. The authorities must take real steps toward eliminating such occurrences as widespread vote buying, which were practiced by three major presidential candidates, Hovannesian added.
    "The leading candidates' supporters engaged in rampant, obvious and veiled bribery," read Monday's statement. "In some precincts ballot stuffing and brutal force were observed. The process of counting the ballots was also marred by irregularities," read the official statement."
    "We know about vote rigging incidents but we can not prove them at court," Rustamian added.
    In response to the dual rallies held Tuesday by supporters of former president Levon Ter-Petrosyan and Prime Minister Serzh Sarkisian, Rustamian called upon the confronting sides to refrain from any action that might escalate the situation further.
    "We are calling on one side not to attempt any forceful change of the regime, and we are calling on the other side to respect the opinion of those who have rightful grounds to doubt the election results and have the right to express their discontent," he said.
    "The public has not come to the same conclusions about the results of the election, and tensions continue to mount," the statement said. "Our country is facing the imperative of preventing post-election polarization and reinstating the atmosphere of cooperation."
    According to both men, the only way to avoid turmoil is to conduct a detailed and complete investigation into every reported instance of voter fraud and punish those found responsible. This is a necessity if Armenia is to prevent electoral fraud in the future, Rustamian and Hovannesian both agreed.
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Tuesday  February  26,  2008                                     

A.R.F. Press Conference in Yerevan (PDF in Armenian)

Monday  February  25,  2008                                     

A.R.F. Statement on Elections

(PDF in Armenian)

The Armenian Revolutionary Federation (Dashnaktsutyun) on Monday recognized Prime Minister Serzh Sarkisian’s victory in Armenia’s disputed presidential election and offered to pull out of his cabinet.
In a written statement, the nationalist party’s leadership in Armenia said it “does not dispute the final results of the elections and wishes President-Elect Serzh Sarkisian success.”
The statement came three days after Dashnaktsutyun’s presidential candidate, Vahan Hovannisian, resigned as deputy speaker of parliament, citing his poor showing in the election. According to the Central Election Commission (CEC), he won only 6.1 percent of the vote, trailing Sarkisian and opposition leaders Levon Ter-Petrosian and Artur Baghdasarian. Hovannisian criticized the vote as deeply flawed, saying that Armenians’ right to elect their government was “trampled underfoot.”
The Dashnaktsutyun statement likewise alleged vote irregularities but did not lay the blame only on the government. It claimed in particular that all “leading candidates” handed out vote bribes on election day. The statement also complained about “mutual hatred” between the political teams of Sarkisian and former President Levon Ter-Petrosian which it said “artificially” divided the nation.
Dashnaktsutyun also said it is ready to withdraw from Armenia’s governing coalition in which it is represented by three ministers in accordance with its power-sharing agreement with Sarkisian’s Republican Party (HHK). It was not clear if the party is also ready in principle to negotiate a new deal with the HHK. Dashnaktsutyun leaders are scheduled to hold a news conference on Tuesday.
(Photolur)

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Vahan Hovannesian Resigns as Deputy Speaker of Parliament

Armenian Presidential candidate and member of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation Bureau Vahan Hovannesian Friday issued an announcement, in which he assessed Tuesday's presidential elections and announced his resignation from the post of Deputy Speaker of the Armenian Parliament.
    Below is the translated text of the announcement:
Dear Compatriots,
I appeal to you personally, as a presidential candidate of the Republic of Armenia. During this entire process, I waged a campaign solely utilizing political methodology, and based on ideological and moral values. I spared no effort to maintain the campaign within the confines of constructive political discourse, in order for the electorate to make a positive rather than a negative choice. I attempted to persuade our citizens that victory was, indeed, possible.
    I was not successful. The pre-election campaign was marred by an atmosphere of hatred, terror and threats. This left its mark on the day of the election.
    Varying degrees of election violations, rampant bribery and violence in some precincts further exacerbated the public's suspicion and mistrust, which with every passing election has become more rooted.
    Once again, the people's right to freely express its political will was curtailed, and our citizens' dignity was trampled on.
    The ARF Supreme Council of Armenia is currently evaluating precinct reports from various regions and it will present its assessment in an announcement.
    However, despite this evaluation, I have made my own personal decision. I am resigning from the post of Deputy Speaker of the Armenian National Assembly.
    Fellow Armenians, through my initiatives and campaign I was attempting to show you a way out of this situation that's been repeated with every passing election. If, this time around, many did not see this option, it does not mean that it does not exist. After all, at least 100,000 people believed and trusted me. Based on this I can proudly assert that in Armenia I have a devoted, intelligent and uncorrupted army of supporters, with whom and in whose name it will be possible to wage a struggle to build a proud homeland. I thank all those who believed in me and saw my stated solution.
    I thank all those who voted frankly and were not swayed by the blinding hatred, fear or greed.
    And, of course, I would like to thank my ARF “ungers” and party supporters and my team members, whose dedication, confidence and belief gave me the strength to move forward.
    I call for calm and restraint. Today those who are opting to take the dissent route should remember and understand the crime they committed and the wrath they brought onto our people when they brutally forged the 1996 presidential elections, unleashing a self-perpetuating electoral fraud machine, which we have been unable to stop even till this day. But, this is not going to last forever. I am calling on you to await our victory with sober confidence.
    I wish success to all my challengers and wisdom and resoluteness to Armenia's next president so, in the coming years, he can achieve such great reforms in order that during the next elections the leadership would not have to rely on money, administrative resources and the criminal elements that often are affiliated with them, but rather be able to count on political forces and the people's confidence.
    Dear, compatriots, I call on you not to give up or be disappointed. Ours is a long struggle.

Friday  February  22,  2008                                        

Vahan Hovanissian’s Statement after the Elections! (pdf)

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U.S. Expresses Concern Over Armenian Election Outcome

The United States was cautious in reacting to Tuesday's presidential elections in Armenia, saying that it is concerned about problems in the vote count reported by the observers in their preliminary report.
    "We are concerned by some elements of the report, including a description of the vote-count as 'bad' or 'very bad' in 15 percent of the polling stations observed," said Edgar Vazquez, a spokesman

for the State Department.
    According to the AFP news agency, Vazquez also called on the Armenian government and the opposition to "maintain this peaceful situation and to refrain from any acts of illegality or violence."
    Meanwhile, evidence of serious fraud emerged on Thursday during vote recounts in some of the electoral precincts. Official vote results in one precinct in central Yerevan initially showed Sarkisian getting 709 votes. However, a recount there revealed that in reality only 395 local residents voted for the prime minister and that the extra votes added to his tally were stolen from other candidates. State prosecutors opened a criminal case in connection with the miscounting of ballots and arrested the precinct commission chairman later in the date.
    Prime Minister Serzh Sarkisian on Thursday continued to receive congratulations from foreign leaders and insisted that he was democratically elected as Armenia's next president.
    In a statement circulated by his Republican Party late Wednesday, Sarkisian thanked Armenians for their "overwhelming support" of his candidacy in Tuesday's presidential election. "As I said before the elections, I am going to be the president of all Armenians," he said.
    A spokesman for the HHK and the Sarkisian campaign, Eduard Sharmazanov, insisted that the vote was the most democratic in Armenia's history, dismissing opposition claims to the contrary. "There were also shortcomings, but they did not influence the final result," Sharmazanov told RFE/RL.

"I believe that all proposals that were made by our European partners will be taken into account and the quality of election organization in Armenia

will increase further in the future."
    The view was echoed by the Prosperous Armenia Party (BHK), the second largest pro-government force that actively campaigned for Sarkisian. "Our candidate scored a convincing victory," said Naira Zohrabian, a senior BHK member. "I am confident that our people are prudent enough not to succumb to any adventures," she added, referring to ongoing opposition protests in Yerevan.
    Sarkisian's victory was recognized by Russia, France and neighboring Georgia whose presidents sent congratulatory messages to Yerevan on Wednesday. Sarkisian was also congratulated on Thursday by Turkish President Abdullah Gul. "I hope your new duty will provide the necessary atmosphere for normalizing ties between the Turkish and Armenian peoples who have proved for centuries that they can live side by side in peace and harmony," Gul said in a letter.
    The Armenian government also received supporting messages from Javier Solana, the European Union's foreign and security policy chief, and Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, NATO's secretary general. The government's press office said both men praised the conduct of the Armenian presidential election. Solana was cited as endorsing its largely positive assessment by Western observers.
    According to the Central Election Commission, Serzh Sarkisian won Tuesday's election with 52.8 percent of the vote, while Ter-Petrosian came in a distant second with 21 percent. The Armenian authorities say the election was democratic, a view largely shared by Western observers. Ter-Petrosian and another major opposition candidate, Artur Baghdasarian, insist, however, that the vote was rigged.
    Secretary General of the European Union, Javier Solana, congratulated the Armenian people Thursday for "holding orderly and competitive presidential elections," Mediamax reported. The statement comes amid accusations of electoral fraud by Levon, who allegedly hoped to come to power through staging post-election street protests supported by the international community. According to Central Election Commission results,

Ter-Petrosyan won 21% of the vote.
    NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer echoed Solana's statement and said he is encouraged by the preliminary findings of the International Election Observation Mission. However, he added, various problems remain to be addressed.
    "NATO looks forward to continue working with Armenia in the framework of the Individual Partnership Action Plan (IPAP) to lend support, where we can, to the strengthening of Armenia's democratic institutions," he said. "Concerns have also been raised and they have to be addressed."
    According to the OSCE report, the presidential election was administered mostly in line with OSCE and Council of Europe commitments and standards.
    "The high-State authorities made genuine efforts to address shortcomings noted in previous elections, including the legal framework, and repeatedly stated their intention to conduct democratic elections." The report reads. "However, further improvements and commensurate political will are required to address remaining challenges such as: the absence of a clear separation between State and party functions, the lack of public confidence in the electoral process and ensuring equal treatment of election contestants. The conduct of the count did not contribute to reducing an existing suspicion amongst election stakeholders."
    Russian President Vladimir Putin Thursday congratulating Sarkisian on his victory, reported Armenpress.
    "Russia highly appreciates the relations of trust, constructive dialogue and mutual support, which have been established between our countries," Putin's statement said. "The consistent deepening of ally partnership fully meets the fundamental interests of the Russian and Armenian peoples and assists the consolidation of stability in Transcaucasia."
    "I note with pleasure your great personal contribution to the development of Russian-Armenian relations," the statement continued. "I am confident that your activity as the Armenian President will assist their further progress".
    French President Nicolas Sarkozy echoed Putin's sentiments with a congratulatory letter of his own.
    "On behalf of the French nation I congratulate you on victory in the presidential election," Sarkozy said in the letter. "I congratulate the Armenian people on the choice which proved confidence in the government you head, the government which follows the path of political reforms and approaches Europe."
    Sarkozy also reaffirmed France's support for stability and peace in the South Caucasus, saying that as a co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group, France will continue to work for a peaceful resolution of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict.
    The United Kingdom and United States have yet to remark on the conduct of elections. Both countries refrained from congratulating President Kocharian until his inauguration after the disputed 2003 presidential election.

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Turkish military launches a ground operation in northern Iraq against Kurdish rebels

The Turkish military said Friday it had launched a ground operation in northern Iraq against Kurdish rebels in a move described as the first significant Turkish ground offensive into Iraq since the fall of Saddam Hussein's regime five years ago.

The incursion against specific Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) in Iraq began around 7 p.m. Thursday and was backed by Turkish warplanes.

In a statement, the Turkish military said it would act with "upmost sensitivity in order to avoid negative impact on local elements" -- a reference to keeping civilians out of the conflict.

"The Turkish Armed Forces, which values Iraq 's territorial integrity and its stability, will return as soon as planned goals are achieved,"  military said.

"The executed operation will prevent the region from being a permanent and safe base for the terrorists and will contribute to Iraq 's stability and internal peace."

Turkey has been taking cross-border military action, including airstrikes and artillery shelling, against the PKK in retaliation to attacks by the group on targets in Turkey from bases in the Kurdish region of northern Iraq .

The PKK has spent two decades fighting for autonomy for Kurds in southeastern Turkey .

Turkey has also been carrying out small ground operations into Iraq , forays characterized as "hot pursuit" incursions with a few hundred commandos responding to a particular threat.

Citing Turkish media reports estimating that as many as 10,000 Turkish troops had been involved, Fadi Hakura, an analyst with UK military thinktank Chatham House, said the operation was the first major incursion by Turkey into Iraq since Hussein was toppled in 2003.

Hakura said the Turkish military wanted to conduct a surprise attack against the PKK prior to the springtime, when violent attacks tend to escalate, and when the snow in the mountainous border region leaves the fighters' footprints.

"Normally during the 1980s and the 1990s, the incursions involved 35,000 50,000 troops and they tended to be somewhat open-ended over weeks. This one is expected to be limited to a matter of days and targeted attacks against the PKK," he said.

U.S. officials were downplaying the scope of the operation Friday.

Tom Casey, deputy State Department spokesman, said Iraqi Foreign Ministry Hoshyar Zebari called the incursion "limited in nature" and not "major."

"The PKK is a common enemy of the U.S. , Turkey and Iraq . We need to work together to resolve it," Casey said. "We are pleased that Turks have stressed that they will do everything possible to avoid acts that would harm civilians."

Rear Adm. Gregory Smith, a spokesman for the U.S. military in Iraq , told CNN the military is "aware" of a Turkish "operation of limited duration to specifically target PKK terrorists in that region."

" Turkey has given its assurances it will do everything possible to avoid collateral damage to innocent civilians or Kurdish infrastructure," Smith said.

The ground troops' deployment followed cross-border shelling early Thursday by Turkish soldiers into abandoned villages north of Irbil -- the capital of Iraq 's Kurdish Regional Government.

The shelling, which struck abandoned villages in the Khwar-Kork area north of Irbil, lasted two hours and was followed by heavy gunfire, a KRG official told CNN. There were no reports of casualties.

Border tensions have been a source of diplomatic disagreement between the U,S. and its Iraqi and Turkish allies. U.S. and Iraqi authorities have been concerned that any large-scale operation by Turkey into Iraq to chase down Kurdish rebels could destabilize the region.

At the same time, the U.S. backs Turkey 's efforts to battle the PKK, which both countries regard as a terrorist group and has been providing intelligence to the Turks.

"The United States continues to support Turkey 's right to defend itself from the terrorist activities of the PKK and has encouraged Turkey to use all available means, to include diplomacy and close coordination with the Government of Iraq to ultimately resolve this issue," Smith said.

Wednesday  February  20,  2008                                

Presidential Election Results of Armenia

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Tuesday  February  19,  2008                           

Fugitives and Warriors the epic of Vartan Mamigonian (PDF)

Hamazkayin Heritage Committee and the Producers of East of Byzantium would  like to invite you to a fundraising event for the forthcoming epic film:

Hollywood directors have referred to Vartan Mamigonian as the “Armenian Braveheart”.

Investing in this project will not only foster greater interest in Armenian culture and history from the outside community, but also create a strong movement towards bringing the Armenian culture into the mainstream.

Meet some of the film’s stars and experience the unveiling of never-before-seen footage from the historic battle of Avaryar. Our exclusive presentation will be followed up with a Q&A session with the creative minds behind the upcoming docudrama. There will also be special guests and surprises throughout the evening!

Please contact Rita Demirjian at 818-445.6556

Hamazkayin Heritage Committee

c/o Sardarabad Bookstore

1111 S. Glendale Ave. #106 Glendale CA 91205

Friday  February  15,  2008                           

Thursday  February  14,  2008                           

Lawyer Says Evidence from Dink Murder Hidden, Destroyed

    The murder of slain Turkish Armenian journalist Hrant Dink has been improperly investigated with some of the evidence being hidden or destroyed, said Daink family lawyer Erdal Dogan.
    "During the preparations for trial, the prosecutor's office demanded some information that has not been provided, and during the investigation process, the court's demands from security personnel and institutions have not been fulfilled. If such information is being withheld, the people behind this crime cannot be revealed, so we can't talk about a just trial process," Dogan said yesterday, following the third hearing on Monday in the trial of defendants accused of assassinating Dink.
    "In the report related to how the defendants had been organized to commit the crime, head of police intelligence Ramazan Akyurek intervened in the case by calling Yasin Hayal and others planning the murder merely a group of friends who came together because he said Dink had insulted Turkishness," Dogan said, referring to the series of police lapses in the handling of the Dink case as well as official attempts to protect those who plotted the crime as reported by the press previously.
    "[Akyurek] obstructed justice by ordering the destruction of a 49-page document related to one of the defendants, Erhan Tuncel," he continued. "The trial cannot proceed in a healthy manner because documents containing information on more than 6,000 telephone calls made by some of the defendants have been destroyed by security officials in Trabzon."
    Most of the suspects who are standing tried for instigating the crime are from Trabzon. The trial is set to continue on Feb. 25

ARF Calls for Free, Fair and Transparent Elections

    The Armenian Revolutionary Federation Supreme Council of Armenia issued a strong worded statement Wednesday denouncing the atmosphere of intolerance and hostility being propagated during the final days of campaigning before the presidential vote next Tuesday. Declaring as imperative, the continued stability of Armenian statehood, the statement urged all Armenian political forces and Armenian society in general to carry on a civilized struggle.
    Below is the translated text of the statement:
    The forthcoming presidential elections are of great significance for our statehood. Some of polarizing tensions that arise in our political environment during the pre-election period are normal and inevitable. However, it becomes unacceptable when the pre-election struggle is no longer conducted in a civilized manner.
    It is with regret that we state that the pre-election struggle in Armenia today has degenerated to this state. The unhealthy trends that were noticeable during the beginning of the race have been escalating, manifesting themselves in new ways on a daily basis.
    The intensification of hostility and mutual hatred in our society has reached a very dangerous point. The atmosphere of intolerance being seeded in society; the violation of the fundamental principles of civilized struggle; the personal insults addressed to contesters and their teams that are voiced mutually; and the open calls for reprisal all gives a green light to non-political elements and external forces to intervene, and this bears unpredictable consequences.
    Realizing the very real danger of this situation, we condemn any attempt, by any individual or party to conduct an unhealthy race. We call on all the forces of society to observe the rules of political ethics; to conducting their campaigns strictly based on their ideologies and programs, and refrain from provocative attempts to make the situation uncontrollable.
    We declare that we will not allow the country's stability and the future of our independent statehood to be endangered.
    We declare that the only way out of the current reality is by excluding any possibility of election fraud and conducting free, fair and transparent elections.

Wednesday  February  13,  2008                          

Vahan Hovannesian Says A.R.F. Only Force Able to Change Corrupt System

"There is only one force in Armenia that can change the system and that's the Armenian Revolutionary Federation," Armenian Presidential Candidate Vahan Hovannesian said to rally-goers Tuesday while campaigning in Lori Province.
    Hovannesian's remarks came during his speech to the residents of Spitak Tuesday, where the presidential candidate, who is also a member of the ARF Bureau, was meeting with voters to discuss their current economic and social problems. Spitak, located at the epicenter of the 1988 earthquake, was left in complete ruins after the earthquake. Since then, the city has been rebuilt and is undergoing a surge in construction.
    But the level of development in Spitak, and Lori in general has been inadequate and unequal, according to Hovannesian, who told voters gathered at his rally that every time he visits Spitak he is happy to see the rapid construction of buildings, but is also deeply saddened when he sees the discontent of its citizens

who have not felt the benefits of the development and are unhappy their current conditions.
    "Back in 1990s, we were demanding that the Lori and Shirak regions be free economic zones where a flexible tax policy could allow people in these regions to rebuild their homes," Hovannesian said.
    But the authorities did nothing to help revitalize the communities in the earthquake zone, he noted. Although the cities are being developed and buildings erected, the villages are still in a dreadful situation where no construction is going on, he said, adding, that this situation is not solely the result

of there not being enough money.
    The situation here is not enough and the population is forced to leave their fatherland to work and raise their families abroad, according to Hovannesian, who went on to explain how those who leave tend to invest money back into Armenia only to have it flow right back out of Armenia because favorable conditions exist only for the importers.
    "The population of these regions emigrates because of unsatisfactory conditions they continue to suffer, while importers make big profits," Hovannesian said. "The authorities say: 'What's the difference whether the economy is developing due to domestic production or imports?' I say there is a difference. The domestic producers should be encouraged to create more jobs. I am for those who invest here and not for those who import cigars and whiskey to enrich customs bureaucrats. I'll give privileges to domestic businessmen," Hovannesian exclaimed.
    Hovannesian promised the voters of Spitak that he will eliminate monopolies and deliver freedom but he said the freedom would come only when an individual is capable of feeding his family by his own work.
    Hovannesian spoke of two injustices in the country: one is that there is development in the country but regular people do not gain from it; the other one is that the development is only in Yerevan, and people want to move to Yerevan to seek a better life. In the worst-case scenario, he said, they simply leave the country because the level of disparity in the development of the country.
    This situation is wrong and it began when the Armenian Pan-National Movement came to power and criminal groups took hold of economic powers, according to Hovannesian. Today, the old and the current regimes, both of which are engaged in incorrect and corrupt policies, are locked in a battle for control over the government, he said.
    According to Hovannesian, the clash between these two extremes can bring about a very dangerous reality for the country. The old authorities, in order to reestablish their control, are readying themselves for a conflict, while the current authorities, unable to legitimately defend their position, are using pressure and fear tactics to gain victory, Hovannesian explained.
    "Who said that the choice is between the bad and the worse?" Hovannesian asked. "My team is the best and most professional in Armenia and I will restore the constitutional order in the country. We will change this system with the help of your votes," he concluded.

Tuesday  February  12,  2008                              

Armenian National Committee - Middle East Visit to Egypt

Catholicos Karekin II Meets With Karabakh President

    His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians congratulated Nagorno-Karabakh Republic

President Bako Sahakian on being elected president of Karabakh Monday during the Karabakh President's first visit to the Holy See of Etchmiadzin since being elected.
    The Catholicos wished Sahakian success in the governing the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic. Sahakian meanwhile expressed his gratitude to the Catholicos and said that he was very glad they had the opportunity

to meet.
    During their meeting, the two men discussed the current economic development programs being implemented in Karabakh.
    The Catholicos and Sahakian also underscored the importance of maintaining a peaceful atmosphere in Armenia during the coming presidential elections.

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Monday  February  11,  2008                              

White House Slashes Armenia Aid, Breaks Military Parity

President George W. Bush, in his last budget proposal to Congress, continued his Administration's track record of recommending dramatic reductions in U.S. economic aid to Armenia and seeking to tilt the military aid balance in the region in favor of Azerbaijan, reported the Armenian National Committee of America.
    The President's budget recommends cutting U.S. economic aid to Armenia from the FY2008 estimated level of $58 million to a proposed FY2009 level of $24 million--a cut of nearly 60% and $11 million less than his FY2008 request. This dramatic reduction to Armenia, a nation economically blockaded by Turkey and Azerbaijan, takes place against the backdrop of assistance proposals to other Independent States of the Former Soviet Union that are either remaining constant or experiencing increases. According to the President's figures, Georgia, for example, would receive $52 million, while Azerbaijan, which is collecting billions in oil revenues, is set to receive $19.5 million. The President's budget proposal does not include any specific assistance figures for Nagorno-Karabakh.
    The President's budget, in yet another clear breach of the White House's agreement with Congress in 2001, seeks to tilt the military aid balance toward Azerbaijan. His proposal includes three times as much International Military Education and Training aid to Azerbaijan ($900,000) than Armenia ($300,000). Foreign Military Financing is kept constant for both countries at $3 million. No specific dollar amounts are allocated for either Armenia or Azerbaijan in the President's request for Nonproliferation, Antiterrorism, Demining and Related Program (NADR) funds. The President's budget estimates that, in actual practice, the U.S. government spent three times more IMET assistance in Azerbaijan ($952,000) than Armenia ($286,000) during FY2008, despite the fact that the U.S. House specifically stated that equal amounts of IMET aid ($500,000) should be given to both nations.
    "The President, in his last year in office, has, unfortunately chosen to leave a legacy of eight straight years of proposing sharp reductions in Freedom Support Act aid to Armenia. Even worse, he is, once again, seeking to tip the military aid balance in favor of Azerbaijan, at a time when leaders in Baku are escalating their threats to renew their aggression against Armenians," said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian. "If the President's figures are accepted, he will have succeeded, during his time in office, in presiding over the reduction of U.S. economic assistance to Armenia from more than $90 million, when he took office, to less than $25 million."
    The State-Foreign Operations Subcommittees of the House and Senate Appropriation Committees will now review the budget and each draft their own versions of the FY2009 foreign assistance bill. The agreement to maintain parity in U.S. military aid to Armenia and Azerbaijan was struck between the White House and Congress in 2001, in the wake of Congressional action granting the President the authority to waive Section 907 restrictions on aid to Azerbaijan. The ANCA has vigorously defended this principle, stressing that a tilt in military spending toward Azerbaijan would destabilize the region, emboldening the Azerbaijani leadership to continue their threats to impose a military solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. More broadly, the ANCA has underscored that breaching the parity agreement would reward the leadership of Azerbaijan for obstructing the peace process, and undermines the

role of the U.S. as an impartial mediator of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

Friday  February  8,  2008                                   

Tens of Thousands Attend Hovannesian Campaign Rally

YEREVAN (Combines Sources)-With 10 days left to Armenia's Presidential Elections, Yerevan's Liberty Square was flaring with excitement and optimism Friday as tens of thousands of residents from throughout Yerevan and the other regions of Armenia crowded into the city center for Armenian Presidential Candidate Vahan Hovannesian's campaign rally.
    Hovannesian, who is a member of the Bureau of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation and the Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, was joined on stage by his campaign manager Armen Rustamian, ARF Bureau Representative Hrant Markarian, ARF Parliamentary Faction members, and students from the ARF Nigol Aghbalian Student Association.
    "Twenty years ago we stood here at this square united. We were a people, a nation, a country, conscious of its common interests back then. We stand here again, twenty years later, but we aren't the same country anymore," Hovannesian said as he began his speech. "We have been living in an illusion and as the old saying goes, 'the price of illusions is a bitter reality.'"
    "Today, as a nation and as a people, we live in two different worlds where on the surface the country seems to be developing while in reality it is in stagnation," Hovannesian said. "Democracy seems to be developing with all its external attributes. But in reality, we live in an unjust environment,

deprived of freedom."
    "We have united today with confidence and decisiveness to make a breakthrough in the life of our country," Markarian said. "We have come here today to set up a new government, a fair government, a government for the people and by the people."
    The country's economic growth, Hovannesian explained, has nothing to do with the people and the democratic attributes of Armenia are merely a show for the outside world. Regular people have been deprived of their freedom, and the equal opportunity to compete, he said.
    "In one world, our constitution develops on its own with new amendments and laws. Real life goes on somewhere else and that life has noting in common with those laws," he said. "Life in Armenia is not governed by those laws, thus we have an unhappy, tired, and disappointed population."
    "We are coming on a positive wave...we will remove hatred, antagonism and violence from our life," Markarian said. "We believe that a new government should be formed in our homeland through elections but it is only possible through fair elections in a healthy environment."
    The gap between these two worlds is growing, Hovannesian warned. This situation has arisen because we did not realize that the return of independence does not automatically bring justice, Hovannesian told the crowd.
    "We need to struggle further. We need more unity, greater efforts, and a stronger resolve. But most importantly, we should not be afraid. We must achieve our freedom and we will achieve it because you are here today," he exclaimed.
    In the recent weeks, Hovannesian's campaign has surged with enthusiasm and activism, according to the candidates campaign manager. Hovannesian's campaign headquarters has been the center of a student coordinated phone-banking campaign, Rustamian said. Student volunteers have been calling an average of 6,000 Armenian voters daily, speaking to them about the presidential candidate explaining his platform, and answering questions.
    "Vahan Hovannesian's campaign strategy is constantly innovating. We are constantly printing new pamphlets and posters, as well as using new strategies of communication with the people," Rustamian explained. "Hovannesian and his team have already visited over 200 towns and cities throughout the country and by the end of the pre-election campaign we will have visited 80 percent of the communities throughout Armenia."
    "I cannot turn mountains and rocks into gold," Hovannesian said during his speech. "But I can promise that I will give you and your children the opportunity to turn your mountains and rocks into gold on your own."
    "If I win, the constitutional order in Armenia will be restored and will coincide with real life," Hovannesian pledged.
    "We have to win," Markarian said. "We have to win because the blood shed by Armenians in Artsakh and border regions of Armenia should not be ignored."
    Throughout the pre-election campaign, Hovannesian and his team have been distinguished themselves as a viable alternative from the current and former regimes who early on locked themselves into a bitter and malicious feud.
    The former and current regime stand at two opposite poles, the former is trying to achieve regime change through hatred and opposition, while the latter is trying to maintain its power through pressure and the abuse of government resources, Markarian explained. We are not going to speak about which of these two groups is more negative, he said, because they are the same. The choice should not be between those two groups, it should be between the positive and negative groups.
    "You are depriving the people of making the right choice with a shameless, profanity-driven show that you are staging," Markarian said, directing his remarks to Serzh Sarkisian and Levon Ter-Petrosian. "Restrain yourselves, gentlemen, don't go to extremes, don't sacrifice our political stability for your dark and evil games, we will not allow you to do that."
    The success of the deception that the former and current regimes are engaged in is possible due to the tense and hostile environment, which they have created in order to avoid any real ideological or political struggle, according to Markarian.
    "When the government is an end in itself, where it has no ideological or political foundation, or true supporters, the government leans on the state apparatus and so called 'prominent' people who can guarantee their power," Markarian explained. "When this is the reality, oligarchs become a machine for electoral corruption, a government bureaucrat becomes a means for ensuring an army of voters, and then oligarchs are granted privileges, free competition is eliminated, bureaucrat's illegalities are ignored, corruption flourishes, and criminals set up a criminal government."
Hovannesian is a person who has had all the opportunity to join these forces, but he has remained independent and a person of integrity, explained Markarian. He is loved and accepted even by those who do not know him because he has the courage to stand up for what is right, he said.
    Hovannesian is the candidate best equipped to bring justice to Armenia, according to Markarina. "Our Vahan is a person who does not depend on oligarchs, bureaucrats, or internal and external secret unions," Markarian reassured the audience. "He does not owe anything to anybody except the people."
    Since the pre-election campaign began, over 220,000 voters have signed Vahan Hovannesian's social contract with the voters, according to Rustamian.
    The contract outlines Hovannesian's platform and his commitments to the people. It also serves as an agreement that the Vahan and the voters will

fulfill their duties as citizens of the Republic of Armenia and ensure just and democratic presidential elections.
    Rustamian noted that the contract is gaining popularity among the people and is becoming a good avenue for reaching out to and speaking with voters. Our campaign headquarters continues to receive personal letters and phone calls about Vahan Hovannesian and we are working around the clock to make sure that not a single one goes unanswered, Rustamian said.

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ANC-PAC Endorses Armenian American Woman Running For Congress

The Armenian National Committee-Political Action Committee has endorsed Jackie Speier in her campaign to serve as the next U.S. Representative for California's 12th Congressional District. Speier, who is of Armenian descent, has served as a County Supervisor, State Assembly member and State Senator in a distinguished career that has spanned over three decades. Since 1980, California's 12th Congressional District has been represented by Tom Lantos (D-CA), who recently announced that he would not seek reelection in 2008 due to a diagnosis of cancer.
    "We know that Jackie will be an effective fighter in Congress for her constituents," said ANC-PAC supporter Roxanne Makasdjian. "She's dedicated to human rights and democracy, and she knows the challenges that Armenian Americans face in addressing U.S. policy in the Caucasus and genocide denial on Capitol Hill."
    "The Armenian National Committee of America has made phenomenal strides in educating Congress on the importance of recognizing the Armenian Genocide," said Speier. "I value my longstanding friendship with the ANC, and look forward to promoting in Congress all the successful measures I have pursued on behalf of Armenian Americans in the CA State Legislature," she added.
    Jackie Speier's career as a public servant began in the 1980s when she won a seat on the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors. After serving for

six years as a San Mateo County Supervisor, she made a successful bid for the State Assembly and in 1998 was elected to the State Senate. In 2006 she attempted to gain the California Democratic Party's nomination for Lieutenant Governor, but was narrowly defeated by John Garamendi.
    The San Jose Mercury News has previously reported, "no one comes close to Speier's remarkable record of getting substantive legislation signed into law." In fact, her legislative success over the years was once rated "Ruthian" by the Los Angeles Times, a reference to baseball's prolific homerun king Babe Ruth. According to state legislative records, as a member of the California State Assembly and later State Senate, Speier authored over 300 bills that have been signed into law by Democratic and Republican Governors.
    The 12th Congressional District, which is home to an active Armenian American community, encompasses San Mateo County and a portion of San Francisco. The district is located just to the south of California's 8th Congressional District, which is represented by Nancy Pelosi, the Speaker of the House.
    Speier has been a longtime friend to many Armenian American activists in the San Francisco-Bay Area. She will be honored by the San Francisco-Bay Area Armenian National Committee chapter on March 8th at their annual banquet. In 2005, Speier was honored in Los Angeles by the Armenian National Committee-Western Region as the organization's Woman of the Year.
    Among her legislative achievements on Armenian issues, Speier co-authored a bill, that was later signed into law, allowing California families of victims of the Armenian Genocide to bring claims arising out of the failure of banks to pay or turn over their deposited or looted assets.
    Individuals interested in learning more about Jackie Speier's congressional campaign are encouraged to visit www.jackieforcongress.com
    The ANC-PAC is a non-partisan federally registered political action committee established to support campaign committees for Members of Congress who share the values of the Armenian American community. The ANC-PAC is at the forefront of efforts to ensure that the voice of the Armenian American community is clearly heard in our nation's capital. The ANC-PAC continues a century old tradition of Armenian Americans engagement on the public policy issues facing national political leaders, both in the U.S. Congress and the White House. For more information, please visit www.ancpac.org

Thursday  February  7,  2008                                

Turkey set to return minorities' properties

    Turkey 's parliament is poised to approve a law allowing properties confiscated by the state to be returned to Christian and Jewish minority foundations.

The reform appears designed to meet conditions set by the European Union for Turkey 's membership in its club, but critics say the measure would

not go far enough.

Parliament is expected to vote as soon as next week on returning property to religious minorities, and the ruling party of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has the majority required to approve the law.

Parliament first approved it in November 2006, but the president at the time, Ahmet Necdet Sezer, was a government opponent and he vetoed it.

The country of 70 million people, most of them Muslim, includes 65,000 Armenian Orthodox Christians, 23,000 Jews, and fewer than 2,500 Greek Orthodox Christians.

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Parties Issue Statement on Karabakh Anniversary

    On the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the Karabakh Movement, The Armenian Revolutionary Federation, the Armenian Democratic League

(Ramkavar Azatakan Party) and the Social Democratic Hunchakian Party Wednesday issued a joint statement commemorating the 20th anniversary

of the Karabakh movement and pledging their close cooperation for the advancement of the Armenian Cause.
    Below is the statement:
The Karabakh Self-determination movement began on February 20, 1988, and Azerbaijan responded with massacres in Sumgait, Baku and Kirovabad to peaceful demonstrations. The rightful fight, at the expense of sacrifices by thousands of Armenians, resulted in a victory and the establishment of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic. But Azerbaijan continues its anti-Armenian crimes and policies.
    The Bureau of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation, the Central Board of the Ramkavar Azatakan Party, and the Central Board of the Social Democrat Hunchak Party have resolved to mark the 20th anniversary of the Karabakh movement jointly in the Homeland and in the Diaspora, and to jointly protest against the anti-Armenian crimes and policies, and to jointly raise with Turkey, the issue of the rights of Armenians.
    Twenty years after the commencement of the Karabakh movement, we now face new challenges. The legal recognition of the factual liberation of Karabakh, the protection of Karabakh's current borders, and the resettlement of the liberated territories are priorities, which all Armenian should unite behind. A secure and strong Karabakh is essential for Armenia's existence.
    Another example of a pan-Armenian cooperation is the issue of international recognition of the Armenian Genocide perpetrated by Turkey. There are serious achievements today thanks to the joint efforts.
We are calling on all Armenians:
    To jointly celebrate 2008 as the year of the 20th anniversary of the Karabakh movement and Join efforts for an international recognition of the Armenian Genocide until the Republic of Turkey recognizes it and assumes full reparation; Announce February 28 as a day symbolizing the massacres of Sumgait and Baku and inform the international community and world countries of all criminal policies carried out by current and former governments of Azerbaijan; and do whatever possible to support the development and strengthening of the governments of Armenia and the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic.

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Armenian American Voting Surges On Super Tuesday

    Reports from over 50 chapters of the Armenian National Committee of America and feedback from activists across the country are that Armenian Americans voted in record numbers on Super Tuesday.  Armenian American voters joined millions of other voters in presidential selection contests in 24 states with over 3,100 convention delegates from both parties at stake.
    "From California to New York, Illinois to Georgia, yesterday's primary elections marked a highpoint of Armenian American voter participation," commented ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian.  "The reports we have received from the grassroots are that a record number in our community went to the polls, and that enthusiasm is at an all time high in the states that have yet to hold primary votes."
    A high percentage of Armenian American voters are present in a number of key Super Tuesday states.  In the Democratic Primary, Armenian Americans played an important role in California (441 delegates), New Jersey (127 delegates) and Massachusetts (121 delegates).  On the Republican side, Armenians impacted the elections in California (173 delegates), New Jersey (52 delegates) and Massachusetts (43 delegates).
    The Chairwoman of the San Francisco Bay Area ANC, Roxanne Makasdjian observed that Armenians in California played a critical role in the surge that Barack Obama's campaign saw in the past couple of days. "The ANCA's endorsement for Obama was really part of a perfect storm here in Northern California for the Illinois Senator.  Clearly, given our large numbers in this state, the ANCA endorsement play an important role in giving a boost to Senator Obama's campaign," Makasdjian added.
    Senators Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton continue in a heated battle for the Democratic Presidential nomination, with additional primaries coming up on February 12th in Washington DC, Maryland and Virginia.  Of the 24 Super Tuesday battles, Sen. Obama won 13 states to Sen. Clinton's eight.  With delegates assigned based on a complicated proportional formula, news reports show a near draw in the number of overall delegates.
    On the Republican side, Sen. John McCain was victorious in 9 states, with formers governors Mitt Romney and Mike Huckabee securing 7 and 5 states respectively.  Sen. McCain now has a commanding lead in the delegate count as he gears up for upcoming primaries.
 

Wednesday  February  5,  2008                              

Hovhannesian Promises More Aid to College Students from Provinces

    Students from the provinces studying at the universities in Yerevan must be given more financial aid, said Armenian Presidential Candidate Vahan Hovannesian Tuesday while campaigning in the villages of Zaghkahovit, Talin, Abaran and Ashtarak in Aragatsotn Province.
    Little changes make a bid impact on people's lives, according to Hovannesian, who is also a member of the Bureau of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation. University Students from the Provinces receive the same amount in subsidies as those who reside in Yerevan, while Provincial Representatives, who usually have their own homes in Yerevan, are given increased stipends in order to pay off their personal expenses, Hovannesian explained.
    "Why don't you receive a respectable stipend, when your representatives do?" Hovannesian asked rallygoers throughout Aragatsotn. "If we give extra stipends to provincial representatives living in Yerevan than we must give extra stipends to provincial students who study in Yerevan."
    Since the start of campaign season in Armenia, Hovannesian has been touring the provinces, speaking to villagers in some of Armenia's most impoverished and disadvantaged regions about issues of democracy, corruption, the economy, and social and political inequality. The vast disparity between a developing Yerevan and the almost lethargic state of the provinces has been among the core themes in the Deputy Speaker's campaign.
    In Aragatsotn, Hovannesian discussed with voters the country's current tax policies and their negative effect on the provinces. People who own small businesses in the provinces are subjected to heavy pressure under the current tax policies, according to Hovannesian, who pledged to correct the tax system and create true competition. The provinces, he said, should be given privileged status when it comes to taxes in order to restore competition and create a free economic playing field.
    Like in other provinces, Hovannesian pointed to systemic flaws as the culprits behind the continuity of corruption and mismanagement in Armenia. The country needs to undergo systemic changes. Changing one government official with another will not fix anything, he maintains.
    "Throughout history, we have always been forced to choose between the bad and the worst. Why?" Hovannesian asked voters in Talin. "Do you want a change in the system, or just a change in the last name of the authorities?"
    Part of the problem, Hovannesian maintains, is that the authorities are not accountable to the people. They are not appointed democratically and if they are elected, they win because they are able to buy victory.
    "We have lost our faith in the current authorities," Hovannesian said. "I am going to restore the faith and trust, because I am going to remove the government operatives who oppress you. I don't need people like that in Armenia. They will be put to work for the nation, and their sons--they will serve in the army."

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Armenians for Obama Reaches Tens of Thousands in Last Push Before February 5th

     Armenians for Obama, a nationwide movement supporting the presidential campaign of Illinois Senator Barack Obama, capped off its pre-election day efforts yesterday evening with a round of recorded calls reaching tens of thousands likely Democratic voters across twenty-four states holding presidential selection events today.
    The calls urged voters to cast their ballots for Senator Obama on the basis of his solid track record on Armenian American issues, his strong and comprehensive statement on Armenian American concerns, and his willingness to challenge a Washington, DC status quo on Armenian issues that has, for far too long, rested upon the immoral foundation of U.S. complicity in Turkeys denial of the Armenian Genocide. Among the key points raised in the

call were:
    * Senator Obama's pledge to recognize the Armenian Genocide as president.
    * Senator Obama's condemnation of the Turkish and Azeri blockades
    * Senator Obama's defense of self-determination for Karabakh.
Armenians for Obama turns its attention today to get-out-the-vote efforts to encourage Armenian Americans to go to the polls in record numbers.
    In the days and weeks since the launch of Armenians for Obama, as part of a growing national tide of support for Barack Obama, Armenian Americans have represented a strong and vibrant constituency--in California, New York, New Jersey, Illinois, Connecticut, and throughout the country--in support of

the Illinois legislator's campaign to bring real change to Washington, DC.
    Pulitzer Prize-winning author Samantha Power, a senior advisor to Barack Obama, has posted a 5-minute online video message supporting his campaign. Former U.S. Ambassador to Armenia, John Marshall Evans, has announced his endorsement of the Obama campaign, as has Henry Morgenthau, III, the distinguished grandson of U.S. Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire during the Armenian Genocide.
    View the Samantha Power video at:
http://www.anca.org/press_releases/press_releases.php?prid=1374

Tuesday  February  5,  2008                                   

Armenians for OBAMA 2008

In The Democratic Presidential Primary

"America deserves a leader who speaks

truthfully about the Armenian Genocide

and responds forcefully to all genocides.

I intend to be that president

Senator Barack Obama

Democratic Presidential Candidate

BARACK OBAMA:

The right choice for Armenian Americans

BARACK OBAMA: A LEADER ON ARMENIAN AMERICAN ISSUES

=Reaffirmed his support for U.S. reaffirmation of the Armenian Genocide During a Congressional visit

to Azerbaijan, stating that the Genocide is a historical fact.

=Committed to promoting Armenia's security "by seeking an end to the Turkish and Azerbaijani blockades."

=Supports "a lasting and durable settlement of the Negorno Karabagh conflict that is agreeable to all parties,

and based upon America's founding commitment to the principles of democracy and self determination."

Monday February 4, 2008                                       

Vahan Hovhannesian
    The ARFP candidate had two strong resources for the start. First of all, the traditionally stable and guaranteed segment of voters for Dashnaktsutyun. Secondly, the strong discipline maintained inside the party, which was demonstrated during the parliamentary elections in May, 2007. Vahan Hovhannisyan’s propaganda is also different from the others since he has been promoting the team, the party, the platform and the ideology. None of the teams of any of the candidates taking part in the elections can be striking with such characteristic features.
ARFP introduces completely new technologies to the Armenian political culture that evoke certain interest in the activities of Vahan Hovhannisyan’s electoral headquarters and, consequently, also the candidate of ARFP. Among those technologies was the nomination of alternative presidential candidates inside the party, involving the society in the election of the most worthy of them through “tent elections,” as well as the action of “signing” “agreements” I am with Vahan with the citizens. They have been conveying a more civilized nature to the ARFP campaign, not allowing giving due to the woven political intrigues.
ARFP is the only force involved in electoral struggle least expected to reject nomination in favor of another candidate. After the parliamentary elections in 2007, ARFP allowed no digression from its adopted path, remaining loyal to the position of participating in the presidential elections with his own candidate. It was obvious from the beginning that the party, having received positions from RPA, would take advantage of the administrative resources they had, which they have been doing now extremely cautiously. As two or three other candidates, Vahan Hovhannisyan claims to win the sympathy and trust of those strata of the public that are equally against both the present and former authorities. The struggle going on between then has been gradually smoothing those strata and increasing the number of those citizens. For example, NDU chairman Vazgen Manukyan thinks that it’s about 70 percent of the voters. However, Dashnaktsutyun will hardly completely succeed in it, taking into consideration the fact that, especially the liberal circles of the capital population that do not personify the elections cannot objectively vote for the left-wing force supporting national/socialist ideology. But the modern occidental political technologies applied by the party have been gradually releasing ARFP from the conservative/nationalist image, conveying an image of

a modern social/democrat force instead.
These transitional processes do not provide full-fledged possibilities to win the presidential elections also for the reason that, actually, this is the first time that ARFP promotes a leader, definitely changing its traditional principle of “board” management. In the near future, Dashnaktsutyun is going to take up a more serious political role in the republic