Armenian Organization Updates

[Hovik]

Monument To Armenian Genocide Victims To Be Inaugurated In Fresno

MONUMENT TO ARMENIAN GENOCIDE VICTIMS TO BE INAUGURATED IN FRESNO

Pan Armenian
19.10.2005 18:50 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Fresno Mayor Alan Autry announced on October 10 his
commitment to build in the near future a monument to the memory of
the victims of the Armenian Genocide. The announcement was made during
the Fresno visit of His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House
of Cilicia. In addition to the Pontiff, present were a large group of
representatives of the Fresno Armenian American community. Plans for
erecting a Genocide Monument in Fresno is yet another step in the road
toward justice and proper recognition of the 1915 genocide committed
against the Armenian people by the Ottoman Turkish government. Since
the U.S. has always stood for tolerance, human rights and justice the
U.S. Congress must recognize the Armenian Genocide and thereby demand
justice for this crime against humanity," His Holiness Aram I stated.

[Hovik]

Gibrahayer E-Magazine

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VISIT OUR PERMANENT PAGES ON GIBRAHAYER E-MAGAZINE
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? Latest article by Prof. Hovhannes Pilikian here
? Zaruhi Harutyunyan. Find out how you can help here ELECTIONS 2005
If you want to relive the October 9, 2005 elections,
this is how the camera of Gibrahayer e-magazine
captured it. Click here

THE STREET OF THE CAULDRON MAKERSGIBRAHAYER e-magazine
Turkish novelist Elif Shafak and producer Sandy Tolan set out to capture the voices of Turkey and its cultural attitude on one street: Kazanci Yokushu, the "Street of the Cauldron Makers." Tolan writes, "Elif saw the street, where she once lived and wrote a novel, as a metaphor for Turkey's modern history -- a place where the nation's battles over identity, modernity, ethnicity and minority rights have played out in miniature over the decades."In the voices of the butcher, the barber, the grocers, the tailor and the domino players, I believe we were able to unearth a good many layers beneath the gray, gritty stones of the Street of the Cauldron Makers."

Producers: Elif Shafak, Sandy Tolan and Melissa Robbins

listen hereListen to the story
listen hereElif Shafak on what she calls Turkey's "collective amnesia." (:28)
listen hereShafak on Turkey as a "bridge culture." (1:11)
listen hereListen to a street musician playing at a bazaar along Kazanci Yokushu. (:35)

Bio notes on Elif Shafak https://www.rusofxxxency.com/fiction...k_bionotes.htm

Her books: The Flea Palace & The Saint of Incipient Insanities available at Moufflon Bookstore.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Turkey has long been known as a nation at a crossroads between East and West, Islam and Christianity. Literally straddling Europe and Asia, it is considered by many to be the exception in the Islamic world: a large country with a majority Muslim population and a westernized, secular political culture. It seemed a natural place to explore the heightening tension between tradition and change?a central theme of the times in which we live, and the central interest of the Worlds of Difference project. more at: http://homelands.org/worlds/turkey.html


YOUR EMAILS click here for all emails

Dear Simon,
On a short break from writing an article for your Magazine, I thought I would look at your Readers' letters... I wish I hadn't - it ruined my good mood... I was astonished by the unfairness of the attacks. Of course I am not familiar with your local politics, but judging merely from reading the GIBRAHAYER I could not understand where the accusations came from - I thought YOU had conducted an extremely fair and civilized electioneering.
Please Simon, with all due respect to your readers, do not be tempted to become neutral... Who's neutral? Not even God is - HE would never approve of Evil! The neutralized Eunuchs of the Chinese Emperors were the most vicious civil servants the world had known - worse than the British Empire eurnuchs sustaining the modern American fantasies of world-domination.

more emails from our readers at : https://www.gibrahayer.cyprusnewslet.../index.htm?p=2

ARMENIAN MUSIC By Arek Dakessian in Beirut
Armenian rock band System of a Down have championed the cause for the Armenian Genocide.
This is what we read in their official website on www.systemofadown.com

STAND WITH SYSTEM: U.S. RECOGNITION OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE IS WITHIN REACH
Dennis Hastert, Speaker of the House, has it in his power to accomplish one of System's goals - official U.S. recognition of Turkey's destruction of 1.5 million Armenians between 1915 and 1923.
On September 15th, a major Congressional committee - rejecting attacks from Turkey and the Bush Administration - approved legislation recognizing the Armenian Genocide.
The next step is for the full House of Representatives to take a final vote on this legislation. But this is only possible if Hastert lets it happen. The choice is in his hands.
By allowing Congress to vote on this legislation, Hastert can end U.S. denial of this crime and open the doors to justice - to the restoration, reparation, and restitution owed to the victims of genocide.
By continuing to block a vote on this legislation, Hastert effectively joins in the denial of this crime against humanity, and the denial of justice to an entire nation.
Join with System. Click here to take action and send a free WebFax urging Hastert to hold a vote on the Armenian Genocide Resolution.
TATIANA'S CORNER - By Tatiana Ferahian
GIBRAHAYER e-magazine

NEWS IN BRIEF
Commissioners of the U.S. Helsinki Commission this week sent a letter to Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan, calling on him to authorise the removal of charges on noted writer, Orhan Pamuk, who was recently indicted for speaking openly on the Armenian question and charged with ?public denigration of the Turkish identity.? Turkey's FM said he was confident a court would dismiss charges against a best-selling Turkish writer who faces prison for his views on the massacres of Armenians 90 years ago.Orhan Pamuk has been charged with insulting Turkish identity for supporting Armenian claims they suffered a genocide under Ottoman Turks in 1915. He faces 3 years in jail if convicted. Pamuk further upset the establishment and nationalists by saying Turkish forces shared responsibility for the death of more than 30,000 Kurds in southeast Turkey during separatist fighting there in the 1980s and 1990s.
For the first time in the political history of Argentina, an Armenian descendant, strongly involved in the activities of our community in that country, has been nominated First Candidate in the lists of Partido de la Ciudad (a political party), which is led by Jorge Giorno present member of the Parliament of Buenos Aires, who aims to become National Deputy.
Egemen Bagis, the foreign policy adviser to Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, said that 40,000 people who came to Turkey from Armenia lived peacefully in Turkey.
According to Naira Melkumian, executive director of the Armenia Fund, The North-South highway under construction in Artsakh will be completed in two years.
The European Commission has added its voice to the growing international opposition to a Caucasus railroad proposal by the Turkish government that would, if built, institutionalise Turkey's border closure with Armenia.
A conference titled "Hamshen and Hamshen Armenians" opened in Sochi. Scholars from Armenia, Russia, United States and Iran are participating. Out of 160,000 ethnic Armenians currently residing in Sochi, 100,000 are Hamshen Armenians, who have preserved their culture. The conference will close on October 19.
President Robert Kocharian and Labour and Social Affairs Minister Aghvan Vardanian discussed on October 11 the Armenian state budget of 2006, which envisages additional $20 million for social projects.
During the celebration of Divine Liturgy on Sunday, September 19, nine deacons were anointed and ordained into the Holy Order of Priesthood by His Grace Bishop Vicken Aykazian, Diocesan Legate of the Eastern Diocese of the Armenian Church of America.
Armenian and Western officials underscored continued progress in Armenia?s partnership with NATO at a major conference held in Yerevan last week. About 60 legislators and defence officials from 22 NATO and partner countries were in Armenia for the Rose-Roth seminar on security issues organised by the NATO Parliamentary Assembly and Armenia?s legislature.
Armenian officials held out hope for a positive change in Turkey?s policy towards Armenia, as that nation is due to begin membership negotiations with the EU that are anticipated to last at least ten years. FM spokesman Hamlet Gasparian said that ?the EU accession process will prompt [Turkey] to open the border with Armenia as soon as possible and to make real efforts to protect minority rights and uphold freedom of speech and other democratic values and standards in the country.? Gasparian also expressed Armenia?s hope that ?Turkey will recognise the Armenian Genocide, something which the European Parliament deemed a precondition for Turkey?s membership of the EU in its latest resolution.?

ARTSAGANG OCTOBER ISSUE
You can read the Armenian community's 20- page monthly Armenian publication in front of your computer before it is delivered to you by post, in pdf format at: www.til-design.com/artsagang_oct/2005-10.pdf


RECOMMENDED SITES
Armenian Cypriot Community Portal www.hayem.org
Plan for peace for Artsakh? www.crisisgroup.org/home/index.cfm?id=3740&l=1


GIBRAHAY CALENDAR
Badanegan meetings - for children from 7- 12 years old - have begun. They take place every Saturday at 4:00 pm at AYMA
AYMA/HMEM Chicco football practices take place every Friday at 7:30pm at AYMA
Eric Simonian invites you to Orpheas Piano Bar. Every Friday: Spanish Duo Band Flamengo and Salsa. Starting from October 7, 2005, Italian Chef Sergio at your service. Every Saturday Blues Night with guitarist George.
Armenian Radio Hour on The Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation via real audio on www.cybc.com.cy . Broadcast 17:00-18:00 local Cyprus time (14:00-15:00 GMT). Armenian news every Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Tuesday.
Annual Dinner Dance organised AYMA. December 25, 2005. Cyprus Hilton - Nicosia. Reservations a must. Details to follow.
New Year's Eve Dinner and Dance in London www.haroutinlondon.com Harout Pampoukdjian and his Band will be performing in London at the Royal Lancaster at Hyde Park - London on Saturday 31 December 2005. Organised by HOM (Armenian Relief Society), Hamazkayin and HMEM.
The Honorary Consul of Brazil, Mr. Garo Keheyan, invites you to a series of Brazilian cultural events in Nicosia, throughout the month of October. For more information, visit www.thepharostrust.org

CLASSIFIED ADS:
A male student from Armenia, wants to share an apartment with a roommate in Nicosia until August 2006. Call: 96589810 [email protected]
Young professionals teaching "O" and "A" Level Maths and Physics. Contact [email protected] and 99109034.

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[Hovik]

Eu / Armenia : Neighbourhood Policy, Withdraw Of Blockade And Genocide

EUROPEAN ARMENIAN FEDERATION
for Justice & Democracy
Avenue de la Renaissance 10
B-1000 Bruxelles
Tel: +322 732 70 26
Tel/Fax:+322 732 70 27
Email: [email protected]



PRESS RELEASE
For immediate release
October 22nd, 2005
Contact :Talline Tachdjian
Tel :+322 732 70 26

EU / ARMENIA : NEIGHBOURHOOD POLICY, WITHDRAW OF BLOCKADE AND GENOCIDE
RECOGNITION REQUESTED BY ALL

Armenian President Robert Kotcharian paid an official visit from 19 to 21
October to Belgium and to the European institutions. He had several meetings
with top leaders of the EU.

On this occasion, the president of the European Parliament, Mr. Josep
Borrell, reiterated on Thursday that he wishes a quick start for the action
plan with Armenian in the framework of the European Neighbourhood policy.
The action plans with the three South Caucasus countries – Armenia,
Azerbaijan and Georgia have actually been delayed because of concerns with
Azerbaijan: from August, Baku has allowed direct flights from and to the
occupied part of Cyprus and therefore caused strong tensions with the
European Union.

Mr. Borrel explained that “It would be strange to block the start of the
talks with Armenia over Cyprus, that dispute doesn't concern Armenia at all”
. He ensured that “the European Parliament will do what it can to make sure
the EU negotiates with Armenia”. President Kotcharian said he hopes a start
“by the end of the year”.

On the other hand, M. Borrell restated the position of the European
Parliament according to which Turkey must recognize the Armenian Genocide
and leave the blockade toward Armenia as a prerequisite to accession.

On the same day, the Armenian president met Mr. Javier Solana, General
Secretary of the European Council and High Representative for the CSFP.
After their talks, they made a joint statement in the same way. Mr. Solana
especially insisted on the need for a quick opening of the border by Turkey.
He insisted on the “very constructive, very solid and very frank”
relationships with Armenia. He also said that he was confident in the
foreseeable start of negotiations in the framework of the European
Neighbourhood Policy.

Mr. Solana was questioned on the EU position regarding the requests made by
Turkey to grant a new railroad Kars – Akhalkalak – Tbilissi rather to use
the existing one Kars – Akhalkalak – Tbilissi in order to complete the
blockade of Armenia. He replied “we [with President Kocharian] talked about
this matter. We talked about Armenia's border with Turkey... We will do
everything possible. The more the Armenian-Turkish border is opened the
better. In that case there will be no longer the need to have this new
railroad.”

“We hail these clarified positions with witch the key EU leaders show the
right track, a track that matches the European values” declared Laurent
Leylekian, executive director of the European Armenian Federation. “Armenia
and the European Union want reinforced relations but these relations are
hindered by third States which infringe these values. Therefore, it was
essential to reaffirm these values – on the Genocide recognition or on the
blockade – and to depart from a regional approach witch artificially bound
reformist countries to States which does not move forwards” he added. “The
European Commission has now to decline these positions from the Parliament
and the Council in the relevant policies of the Union” concluded Leylekian.

In the course of his visit, President Kotcharian inaugurated the new
Armenian embassy in Brussels. He also paid tribute to the victims of the
Armenian Genocide during a ceremony given at the commemorative monument in
Ixelles, with Mrs. Lizin, President of the Belgium Senate, in the presence
of many Belgian policy-makers and representatives of the Armenian Diaspora.

[Hovik]

EUROPEAN ARMENIAN FEDERATION
for Justice & Democracy
Avenue de la Renaissance 10
B-1000 Bruxelles
Tel: +322 732 70 26
Tel/Fax:+322 732 70 27
Email: [email protected]


PRESS RELEASE
For immediate release
October 26th, 2005
Contact :Talline Tachdjian
Tel :+322 732 70 26

EUROPEAN COMMISSION TAKES UNPRECEDENTED STEP OF CALLING ON TURKEY TO
ACKNOWLEDGE THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

-- Request Represents the First Time the Commission has Directly Pressed
Ankara to end its Campaign of Armenian Genocide Denial --

Brussels, Belgium (26 October 2005) - In an unprecedented move welcomed by
the European Armenian Federation, the
President of the European Commission, Jose Manuel Barroso, has directly
called upon Turkey to acknowledge the Armenian Genocide.

During a recent speech at Harvard University (United States), Mr. Barroso
stressed that, "We should bear in mind that Turkey is an important state and
has great potential from the viewpoint of the social and economic future of
Europe. However the problem of Kurds and national minorities still remains
a very delicate matter for Turkey. National minorities in
Turkey constantly face infringement of their human rights."

In his remarks about European relations with Turkey, Mr Barroso stated that
Ankara is developing relations with Greece and should adopt a similarly
constructive approach toward Armenia. He explained that, "Turks should
acknowledge the reality of the Armenian Genocide. Orhan Pamuk's case is an
inadmissible step from the standpoint of freedom of speech. Turkey should
refrain from simplified attitude towards the Armenian issue. Europeans
dislike the words 'there was no Genocide.' Ankara's best move would be the
acknowledgment of the Armenian Genocide and opening the borders with
Armenia."

"We welcome the unprecedented statement by Mr. Barroso as both a reflection
of true European values and a return to a principled approach on the part of
the European Commission and the European Union. With this declaration by
the Commission's president, the three main bodies of the E.U. - the
Parliament, Commission and Council - have all taken a common stand - a firm
position that can no longer be ignored by Turkey," said Hilda Tchoboian,
chairwoman of the European Armenian Federation.

"We expect that this renewed determination on the part of European
institutions will impress upon Turkey that regional peace and stability
requires that Turkey come to terms with its responsibilities for the
Armenian Genocide," she continued. "As a next step, we will work toward the
Commission incorporating these demands into the relevant chapters of the
Acquis and into screening procedure for Turkey's EU application," concluded
Tchoboian.

[Hovik]

ASSEMBLY CALLS LAWSUIT CONTESTING ARMENIAN GENOCIDE "FRIVOLOUS"

ARAMAC would like to bring to your attention the following announcement
regarding the Armenian Assembly's response to a recent lawsuit challenging
Massachusetts Genocide education curriculum.

PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 27, 2005
CONTACT: Christine Kojoian

ASSEMBLY CALLS LAWSUIT CONTESTING ARMENIAN GENOCIDE "FRIVOLOUS"

Plans to File Friend of Court Brief

Washington, DC - The Armenian Assembly announced today that it plans to file a
friend of the court brief in response to a lawsuit filed by two public high
school teachers, one student and the Assembly of Turkish American Associations
challenging a Massachusetts statute allowing for the teaching of the Armenian
Genocide.

"This is an untimely, absurd and frivolous lawsuit and is counter to the trend
in Turkish society to understand its past," said Assembly Executive Director
Bryan Ardouny. "The fact of the Armenian Genocide is as incontestable as the
fact of the Holocaust, and challenging the teaching of these historical lessons
in public schools is unconscionable in the United States or in any democratic
country."

Assembly Board of Trustees President Carolyn Mugar, Vice President Robert A.
Kaloosdian, Board of Directors Chairman Anthony Barsamian, together with Dr.
Richard Hovannisian, Professor of Armenian and Near Eastern History at the
University of California, and MA State Senator Steve Tolman, met with the
Massachusetts Department of Education in 1998 to discuss the guidelines for a
state curriculum on the Armenian Genocide.

Upon learning of the lawsuit, Barsamian stated, "Any opportunity to reaffirm
the fact of the genocide is welcomed by the Armenian-American community. At
this time, it is surprising that any Turkish group organized in this country is
unaware of the changes taking place in their native country on this issue."

Massachusetts is home to one of the largest Armenian-American populations in
the country. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts annually holds events
commemorating the Armenian Genocide.

For more information about the state law in Massachusetts, log on to:

http://www.armeniangenocide.org/Affirmation.342/current_category.32/affirmation_detail.html

<http://www.armenian-genocide.org/Affirmation.342/current_category.32/affirmation_detail.html>

The Armenian Assembly of America is the largest Washington-based nationwide
organization promoting public understanding and awareness of Armenian issues.
It is a 501 (c) (3) tax-exempt membership organization.
###
NR#2005-110

Editor's Note: For more information on the court case, please see the following
article by The Wall Street Journal.

<http://online.wsj.com/article/SB113036957361080605.html>

[Hovik]

ASSEMBLY THIS WEEK Monday, October 31, 2005

ASSEMBLY THIS WEEK Monday, October 31, 2005

ASSEMBLY SAYS LAWSUIT CONTESTING TEACHING OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE IS
FRIVOLOUS The Assembly last week announced plans to file a friend of the
court brief in response to a frivolous lawsuit against Massachusetts
officials challenging a law that mandates teaching of the Armenian
Genocide.

The lawsuit, filed in federal court by the Assembly of Turkish American
Associations, two public high school teachers and a student, alleges the
state is violating free-speech rights by excluding Turkish viewpoints.

"This is an untimely and absurd lawsuit and is counter to the trend in
Turkish society to understand its past," said Executive Director Bryan
Ardouny. "Challenging the teaching of these historical lessons in public
schools is unconscionable in the U.S. or in any democratic society."

In 1998, Board of Trustees President Carolyn Mugar, Vice President
Robert Kaloosdian, Board of Directors Chairman Anthony Barsamian
together with Dr. Richard Hovannisian, Professor of Near Eastern History
at the University of California and MA State Senator Steve Tolman, met
with state education officials to set guidelines for a curriculum on the
Armenian Genocide.

Last Friday Barsamian told the Boston Globe that there is an established
historical record on the genocide and the lawsuit is "clearly an affront
to all who have ancestors who suffered and were victims of the Armenian
Genocide."

AAA HOSTS ANNUAL HOLIDAY BRIEFING ON NOV. 13 Veteran journalist Helen
Thomas, commonly referred to as the "First Lady of the Press," will be
among the special guests at the Assembly's annual holiday reception and
briefing at the Armenian Embassy on Sunday, November 13.

Thomas, currently a syndicated columnist for Hearst Newspapers, served
as White House correspondent for United Press International for 57
years.

The event, organized by the Capital Region Host Committee, will also
include remarks by Armenia's Ambassador to the U.S. Tatoul Markarian and
Executive Director Bryan Ardouny.

To register for this event, please call Deputy Director of Development
and Membership Rita Mullane at (202) 393-3434 x234 by Monday, November
7.

NEWS & NOTES
* Board of Directors Chairman Anthony Barsamian, Executive Director
Bryan Ardouny and Congressional Relations Director Rob Mosher on October
26 attended a reception for Armenia's Defense Minister Serge Sargsian at
the Armenian Embassy in Washington.
* The Assembly, in cooperation with the AGBU Manoogian-Demirdjian
School, hosted a welcoming event for California Secretary of State Bruce
McPherson at the school's facilities on October 27. McPherson addressed
students and school officials, as well as members of the Armenian
community, on the importance of public participation in the democratic
process.
* On October 28, the Western Office attended an event celebrating the
10th anniversary of the Consulate General of Armenia in Los Angeles.

EXPERIENCE DC, YEREVAN THROUGH ASSEMBLY INTERNSHIP PROGRAMS The Assembly
is accepting applications for the 2006 Terjenian-Thomas Assembly
Internship Program in Washington, DC and our sister program in Yerevan.
College students of Armenian descent who have completed at least two
years of full-time study at an accredited college or university are
eligible for the eight-week internship program.

Students accepted into the DC program are typically placed in
congressional offices, government agencies, think tanks and media
outlets based on their educational backgrounds and work experience.
Yerevan program students are typically placed in government ministries
based on the same criteria.

Applications are available on the Assembly's Web site or by contacting
Intern Program Manager Alex Karapetian in Washington at (202) 393-3434,
ext. 245 or by e-mail at [email protected].

GET ASSEMBLY THIS WEEK ELECTRONICALLY!
Receive Assembly This Week in your inbox! In an effort to increase our
efficiency and better serve our members, readers can receive an
electronic version of this publication as an alternative to the printed
version. Those who are interested should send their email addresses to
Rita Mullane at [email protected].


Calendar of Events

11/13: Capital Regional Holiday Reception; DC

12/6: New England Holiday Party; Arlington, MA

12/7: New England Holiday Party; Pawtucket, RI

12/11: Los Angeles "Holiday Cheer" Party; Pasadena, CA

3/26: Annual Board of Trustees Meeting; DC

3/26 - 3/28: National Conference & Banquet; DC

[Hovik]

ARMENIA THIS WEEK October 31, 2005

ARMENIA THIS WEEK October 31, 2005

ARMENIAN DEFENSE MINISTER CONTINUES TO BUILD U.S.-ARMENIA RELATIONSHIP;
MEETS WITH RUMSFELD, TOURS U.S. MILITARY Defense Minister Serge Sargsian
toured the United States last week, meeting senior U.S. counterparts and
visiting military bases in Florida, Georgia and Kansas. As part of his
Washington visit, Sargsian met with Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld,
Undersecretary of State for Policy Nicholas Burns, Senators Richard
Lugar (R-IN) and Mitch McConnell (R-KY), and Congressmen Joe Knollenberg
(R-MI), Jim Kolbe (R-AZ) and Frank Pallone Jr. (D-NJ).

Speaking to journalists following their meeting last Friday, Sargsian
and Rumsfeld underscored satisfaction with bilateral ties. Rumsfeld
praised Armenia for its contribution to the U.S.-led effort in Iraq and
expressed the U.S.' desire to further military cooperation with Armenia,
particularly contributing to its defense reform. Sargsian stressed that
Armenia "could not miss out on such a good opportunity to reform [its]
armed forces" and would certainly proceed on that track.

Speaking at the National Press Club in Washington last Thursday,
Sargsian mentioned that a bilateral agreement on Armenia's defense
reform will be ready next month. It is based on the assessment of the
Armenian army conducted by a Pentagon team last May and subsequent
consultations. Earlier this year, Armenia's defense officials announced
a major decade-long military reform effort in consultation with NATO,
starting with new national security and defense doctrines to be
developed and considered by a new Parliament to be elected in 2007.

During his meetings at the National Defense University in Washington,
Sargsian identified Armenia's main challenges as "improvement of
governance in all spheres," including through defense reform, and, most
urgently, to "undertake all measures to avoid a new war" threatened by
Azerbaijan.

In his talk at the Carnegie Endowment in Washington, Sargsian argued
that it would take Azerbaijan many years and much effort to achieve the
type of military superiority it had over the Armenians in the early
1990s. "And even with that superiority the military option failed,"
Sargsian said. He added that no matter its outcome, a new war would
severely damage both nations' opportunities for development.

Sargsian urged Azerbaijan to desist from its war rhetoric, and
reiterated Armenia's readiness to undertake compromise steps as part of
a comprehensive settlement. One such step, Sargsian said, would be
determination of Karabakh's status through a new referendum, even though
the Nagorno Karabakh Republic was established on the basis of the 1991
referendum, in compliance with the Soviet legislation then in effect.

Armenia's Defense Minister held out hope that sober heads would prevail
in Azerbaijan, resulting in a comprehensive peaceful settlement.
Speaking at the Heritage Foundation last Thursday, the U.S. Deputy
Assistant Secretary of State Matt Bryza also referred to the "framework
agreement that is on the table" and "that it is not unwise to be
cautiously hopeful... that there is a way to improve the dynamic
dramatically." The U.S., Russian and French negotiators hope that 2006,
largely free of election campaigns, may become a good time to make
headway in the protracted Karabakh talks. (Sources: Armenia This Week
5-10, 7-18, 10-10; R&I Reports 10-27; Regnum.ru 10-29)


ALIYEV ACCUSES HIS CABINET MEMBERS OF COUP CONSPIRACY Azerbaijan's
increasingly nervous rulers have in recent weeks accused government
members of colluding with opposition forces that are suspected of trying
to oust President Ilham Aliyev. With just weeks before parliamentary
elections, security forces loyal to Aliyev seized dozens of government
officials, including a senior presidential staffer and two cabinet
members, who are accused of funding opposition parties. Ministers of
Economic Development and Health, both erstwhile supporters of Aliyev's
father and predecessor, are also accused of amassing millionaire
fortunes through embezzlement and abuse of office.

Allegations of coup conspiracies are frequent in Azerbaijan. Two months
ago, the Azeri government accused a leading opposition party of
colluding with Armenia and the U.S.-based National Democratic Institute
in an effort to overthrow the government. But no state official from
within the ruling hierarchy has been accused of coup plotting since the
mid-1990s, years marked by instability and massive government
crackdowns. The most recent allegation is important because it concerns
government officials who are believed to control hundreds of millions of
dollars in legal and shadow revenue. The Economic Development Minister
was arrested along with his two brothers, one in charge of the country's
biggest privatized business, the AzPetrol gasoline near-monopoly, and
another, who oversees much of the construction in central Baku. The
Health Minister is in turn a leader of a regional clan long loyal to the
Aliyev family. (Sources: Day.az 10-19, 20, 24; RFE/RL 10-20)


A WEEKLY NEWSLETTER PUBLISHED BY THE ARMENIAN ASSEMBLY OF AMERICA 1140
19th Street, N.W., Suite 600, Washington, D.C. 20036 (202) 393-3434 FAX
(202) 638-4904
E-Mail [email protected] WEB http://www.aaainc.org


Sunday October 23, 2005

The Guardian Observer (UK)

'I stand by my words. And even more, I stand by my right to say them...'


When the acclaimed Turkish writer Orhan Pamuk recalled his country's
mass killing of Armenians, he was forced to flee abroad. As he prepares
to accept a peace award in Frankfurt, he tells Maureen Freely why he had
to break his nation's biggest taboo

Five years ago, Orhan Pamuk wrote a novel about a poet who is snared in
a political intrigue from which there is no escape. Nine months ago,
Turkey's most famous novelist was pulled into just such an intrigue. It
began with an off-the-cuff remark in an interview with a Swiss
newspaper. While discussing curbs on freedom of expression in Turkey,
Pamuk said that 'a million Armenians and 30,000 Kurds were killed in
this country and I'm the only one who dares to talk about it'. He was
soon to be reminded why.

Although most of the world acknowledges the genocide as historical fact,
the official Turkish line has been that 'only' a few hundred thousand
died during the internecine conflicts of the First World War. To suggest
otherwise - or even to use the word genocide - is to insult the nation's
founding myth and therefore Turkey's honour.

So the day after his interview appeared, the Turkish press launched a
fierce attack on Pamuk, branding him a traitor, accusing him of having
used the virtually illegal word genocide (although he had not) and
inviting 'civil society' to 'silence' him. Following several death
threats, he went into hiding abroad. He returned to Turkey late last
spring, hoping it had all blown over. It had not. Last August, an
Istanbul public prosecutor charged him with the 'public denigration of
Turkish identity'. The trial is set for 16 December. If convicted, Pamuk
faces three years in prison. [...]

Meanwhile, all of Turkey is arguing about the Armenians. Last month a
group of Turkish scholars broke 90 years of official silence, braving
court orders, death threats and fierce condemnation in the right-wing
press to hold a conference in Istanbul. For the first time, Turks dared
to ask Turks what happened to the Ottoman Armenians. This had a huge
impact on public opinion. Although many maintain that the genocide was a
fiction created by the nation's enemies, it is at least no longer
dangerous to question the official line. [...]

And so the noose tightens. What to do? Speak out and risk a longer
sentence? Or stay silent and let parties unknown feed the world lies?
[...]

'It goes without saying that I stand by my words,' he told me. 'And even
more, I stand by my right to say them.' He went on to point out that the
right to free speech was guaranteed by the Turkish constitution and that
more and more people in Turkey were keen to exercise that right. 'I am
very encouraged by this conference. I'm very grateful to courageous
scholars such as Halil Berktay, Murat Belge and Taner Akcam who have
been researching this subject thoroughly and honestly for so many years
and who spoke the unsayable truth. Most of all, I'm pleased that the
taboo - what happened to the Ottoman Armenians - is beginning to crack.'

It was, he warned, going to be a long and painful process. 'We are
confronted with an immense human tragedy and immense human suffering we
did not learn about at school. So it is a fragile subject.'

Which brings us to the word genocide. It is, he reminded me, a
contentious subject even among the Turkish historians who believe there
was planned and systematic slaughter. Those whose primary aim is to
educate the Turkish public point out that to use the word is to shut
down any possibility of a national debate.

'I said loud and clear that one million Armenians and 30,000 Kurds were
killed in Turkey, and I stand by that. For me, these are scholarly
issues,' said Pamuk. 'I am a novelist. I address human suffering and
pain and it is obvious, even in Turkey, that there was an immense hidden
pain which we now have to face.' He went on to remind me that the
biggest obstacle right now was Article 301. This is a new law and how it
found its way into Turkey's new and supposedly EU-friendly penal code is
a subject of heated speculation.

Earlier this month, Turkish Armenian journalist Hrant Dink was tried
under the same article by the same public prosecutor who brought the
case against Pamuk. He was found guilty and given a suspended sentence.

'Dink is the most prominent representative of Istanbul's Armenians and
after his case and mine it is obvious that if we are going to enjoy
freedom of expression in Turkey, Article 301 should be reconsidered,'
said Pamuk. 'This law and another law about "general national interests"
were put into the new penal code as secret guns. They were not displayed
to the international community but nicely kept in a drawer, ready for
action in case they decided to hit someone in the head. These laws
should be changed, and changed fast, before the EU and the international
community puts pressure on Turkey to do so. We have to learn to reform
before others warn us.' [...]

This, he said, was the burning issue in Turkey, and it was, and would
continue to be, a subject dear to his heart. In his speech today he will
be arguing that the novelist's most important political act is the
imaginative exploration of the 'other', the 'stranger', the 'enemy who
resides in all our minds'. Politics in the art of the novel is the
author's identification with the downtrodden and the marginalised. The
Kurd in Turkey and the Turk in Germany. [...]

Pamuk is not looking for a pardon: 'I'm going to face this case.' In
this regard, at least, he hopes to part ways with Kar, the poet in his
novel Snow. Pulled into a political intrigue and feeling 'trapped on all
sides', Kar's response was to try to run away. 'He was an unhappy person
who was forced to be cynical,' Pamuk said. 'But I am a happier person. I
embrace the responsibility that has fallen on me and will pursue this to
the end.'

[AAA Note: Article shortened to fit this page.]

observer.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,6903,1598633,00.html

[Hovik]

Charity Navigator: Armenian Assembly Of America Among Best Philanthropic Organization

CHARITY NAVIGATOR: ARMENIAN ASSEMBLY OF AMERICA AMONG BEST PHILANTHROPIC ORGANIZATIONS

Pan Armenian
10.11.2005 21:37 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Armenian Assembly of America is one of the best
non-profits to donate to according to a study by Charity Navigator,
America's largest independent evaluator of charities. The New
Jersey-based group sent a letter of congratulations to the Assembly on
October 5, stating in part: "Charity Navigator salutes your charitable
efforts. Receiving four out of four possible stars indicates that
your organization excels, as compared to other charities in America,
in successfully managing the finances of your organization in an
efficient and effective manner. This rise in your rating is an
exceptional feat, especially given the economic challenges many
charities have had to face in the last year." "The Assembly is
honored by this acknowledgement," said Board of Trustees Chairman
Hirair Hovnanian. "Our members have helped grow and sustain this
organization for more than 30 years and this recognition underscores
their trust in us and our responsibility to them."

The rating is based on 990 tax forms the Assembly filed with the
Internal Revenue Service and an analysis of two broad areas of
financial health - organizational efficiency and organizational
capacity. The first category measures program expenses and fundraising
efficiency, while the second determines how well a charity sustains
its programs and services over time.

"With more than 1.2 million charities operating in the U.S., and many
worthy causes within the Armenian community, it is important that
all of us be held to a high set of donor and charitable standards,"
said Board of Directors Chairman Anthony Barsamian. "Our four-star
rating from Charity Navigator is a credit to the Armenian Assembly's
efficiency and our overall financial health," he added, the Armenian
Assembly of America told PanARMENIAN.Net.

[Hovik]

ARMENIA THIS WEEK December 5, 2005

ARMENIA THIS WEEK December 5, 2005


IN THIS ISSUE: Armenian Referendum Endorses Constitutional Reform;
Hayastan Fund Secures Financial Support for Karabakh; Israel's Religious
Leader Affirms Armenian Genocide.



REFERENDUM ENDORCES CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM; OPPOSITION DISPUTES RESULTS
On November 27, 2005 Armenia voted in a referendum on constitutional
amendments, which was marked by intense advocacy in favor and against
the package proposed.

The amendments included measures to enhance the principle of balance and
separation of powers within the government, by strengthening the role of
the legislature, providing for greater independence for the judiciary,
and developing the system of local self-government. The amendments also
expanded the constitutionally protected rights and civil liberties in
Armenia, in line with the country's commitment to further harmonize its
legislation and practice with European standards. Another set of
measures addressed the institute of citizenship, including the removal
of the constitutional ban on dual citizenship.

This was Armenia's second attempt at constitutional reform. The first
occurred in 2003, and did not succeed due to an insufficient number of
votes supporting the amendments. The present effort was successful, and
the results were welcomed by the international community. Statements
released by the Council of Europe Observer Mission, EU, and others also
drew attention to serious irregularities noted in the process.

The opposition in Armenia has disputed the results of the referendum,
and plans for an extended campaign of peaceful protest, to raise public
awareness of its position. (Sources: Armenia This Week 11-21; Council of
Europe 11-28; RFE/RL Armenia Report 11-28, 29, 30; U.S. State Department
11-29)

$7.75 MILLION RAISED FOR KARABAKH
The Pan-Armenian Hayastan Fund secured $7.75 million in fresh pledges to
develop Nagorno Karabakh's war-ravaged Mardakert district, the Fund's
Executive Director Naira Melkumian reported last week. NKR President
Arkady Ghoukasian and Parliament Speaker Ashot Ghulian, together with
Armenia's Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian toured Diaspora communities
in recent weeks to launch the latest fundraising drive. Melkumian said
that unlike past fundraising efforts, this year saw an increase in the
number of smaller individual contributions.

The Hayastan Fund has raised over $100 million since the mid-1990s. Its
programs focus on development of Armenia's eastern and northern region,
most affected by war and the 1988 earthquake. Two of its best known
projects include the completed Goris-Stepanakert highway and Karabakh's
North-South highway, which is nearing completion. In addition to the
U.S., Russia and Armenia, the Fund's drive includes Armenian communities
in Canada, Europe, South America, Australia and the Middle East.
(Sources: ArTW 11-21; Arminfo 12-2)

ISRAELI RELIGIOUS LEADER AFFIRMS ARMENIAN GENOCIDE Chief Rabbi of
Israel's Ashkenazi Jews Yona Metzger has joined the growing number of
that country's leaders to affirm the Armenian Genocide. Metzger was in
Armenia two weeks ago on invitation from Catholicos Karekin II of the
Armenian Apostolic Church, as part of Jewish-Armenian inter-faith
dialogue. Visiting the Armenian Genocide memorial outside Yerevan,
Metzger said that "nobody can feel the pain of the Armenians more deeply
than the Jews." Metzger added that he "would definitely use the term
genocide" when referring to the annihilation of Armenians in the Ottoman
Empire.

The Israeli government has refused to acknowledge the Armenian Genocide
as it seeks to maintain close ties with Turkey, which denies the
Genocide and pressures other countries to avoid the subject.
Nevertheless, a growing number of former Israeli officials and scholars
have called for a change in the official Israeli approach. Yuri Stern, a
member of the Israeli Parliament, who accompanied Metzger on the trip,
similarly drew parallels between the Holocaust and the Armenian
Genocide. "The fact that the world was silent when Armenians were being
killed was a sort of license to kill Jews. We know this and must not
place political expediency above everything else," Stern said. (Sources:
Arminfo 11-21; RFE/RL Armenia Report 11-22)


A WEEKLY NEWSLETTER PUBLISHED BY THE ARMENIAN ASSEMBLY OF AMERICA 1140
19th Street, N.W., Suite 600, Washington, D.C. 20036 (202) 393-3434 FAX
(202) 638-4904
E-Mail [email protected] WEB http://www.aaainc.org


The Boston Globe
November 30, 2005
Op-Ed: The trouble with Turkey
By John Tirman

IN THE ONGOING debate about ''democratization," Turkey is a vivid
example of how difficult it can be. Its inability to end old habits of
repression and embrace democratic values presents an agonizing dilemma
for Europe and a reminder of failed policies of the United States.

Formally a republic since the early 1920s, when its great military hero,
Kemal Ataturk, carved out the modern Turkish state from the remains of
the Ottoman Empire, Turkey has mostly had elected governments ever
since. But it has been a ''guided" democracy, and the guide in this case
is the iron fist of the military. It remains so to this day, despite
Turkey's professed desire to become a member of the European Union.

The powerful military, itself guided by Ataturk's extreme nationalism,
is now demanding the prosecution of some 50 writers and publishers for
insulting the state, raising issues about Kurds in Turkey, and exploring
the Armenian genocide of the First World War. Among those being
prosecuted is Fatih Tas, the publisher of a book I wrote in 1997 about
US-Turkish relations, which he had translated and released in Turkey
earlier this year. Among the cited crimes are my many interviews with
Kurds who had been forcibly evacuated by the military and descriptions
of the scale of human rights abuse, including 1 million displaced
people, many of whom now live in shantytowns on the outskirts of
Istanbul. He could go to prison.

Suppression of speech is not the only problem. Turkish forces recently
bumbled a covert operation in the Kurdish areas of southwest Turkey,
where they planted and exploded bombs to make it appear that the old
Kurdish rebel group, the PKK, remained active and a threat to state
security. It's not the first time such nefarious activities have been
exposed.

These are the actions of the ''deep state," that part of the permanent
governing structure -- security forces, intelligence operatives,
paramilitaries -- which abhors the possibility of EU standards being
applied to them. So they create phony crises and arbitrary prosecutions
to subvert those in Turkey who seek EU membership.

Politicians are typically afraid to confront the military over the
abuses and bullying. Prime ministers have been overthrown by the
military and even executed; the current constitution was written by the
generals after a 1980 coup. Political discourse has always been
curtailed, and most journalists, party leaders, and other public figures
censor themselves.

For Europe, the dilemma in all this bad news is obvious. Does Turkey
deserve EU membership? Many Europeans, some of them anti-Muslim, harbor
grave doubts about admitting a poor country of 70 million whose
dispossessed may swarm into the prosperous parts of the continent. They
prefer to highlight the alarming human rights violations. But Turkey is
serving up a ready-made excuse for rejection, with the state firmly in
the grip of hard-line militarists.

For the US government, the chief promoter of Turkey's EU ambitions, the
policy choices are less stark but fraught with embittering irony. Turkey
was for years the largest recipient of US military assistance after
Israel and Egypt, including massive arms transfers -- ostensibly as a
hedge against the Soviet Union, and then Iran and Iraq. But Turkey
refuses to do Washington's bidding in the region, and anti-Americanism
is at an all-time high. And the weapons Turkey received were used in the
civil war with the Kurds that resulted in 40,000 killed.

Meanwhile, the United States is protecting Kurdish ambitions in Iraq,
including its bid for the oil-rich city of Kirkuk. Turkey has vowed to
''take action" should Kirkuk fall into Kurdish hands, since that would
be the missing piece the Kurds need for secession and an independent
Kurdish state. Turkey could intervene militarily, close oil pipelines,
shut off water supplies, support militias and death squads -- generally
adding to the myriad forms of extreme violence that the war in Iraq has
bred.

So the United States finds itself frustrated by a military it helped
strengthen and train. And that explains why American political leaders
have been mute on Turkey's repression of free speech and the cascade of
other misdeeds by the military. We need them to behave in Iraq, and the
price for that is silence on the relentless abuses of democratic values.
It is reminiscent of America's lavish support for the Shah of Iran in
the 1970s and of Saddam Hussein in the 1980s.
Such stratagems never work in the end. Democracy can't flourish without
sunlight, and now it is Washington, again, that is in the way.

John Tirman is executive director of the Center for International
Studies at MIT.

[Hovik]

Does Your Representative Support Anti-Isolation Policy?

Does Your Representative Support Anti-Isolation Policy?
Help Prevent Armenia's Isolation!

Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues Co-Chair Joe Knollenberg (R-MI), along
with Co-Chair Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) and Rep. George Radanovich (R-CA)
recently introduced H.R. 3361, the South Caucasus Integration and Open
Railroads Act of 2005. This legislation addresses the latest proposal by
Azerbaijan to build a rail line that bypasses Armenia and would prohibit U.S.
assistance in developing or promoting rail connections that traverse or connect
Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey but excludes Armenia.

**************
Action Needed:
**************
To date, 67 Members of Congress have signed on to this important legislation
(see attached list). Please continue to reach out to your Representative and
urge him/her to cosponsor H. R. 3361 and support regional cooperation and
economic integration throughout the entire South Caucasus region.

Support is Growing!
Urge Your Representative to Co-Sponsor H.R. 3361

*************
Sample letter
*************
The Honorable Full Name
United States House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515

Dear Representative Last Name,

I am writing to urge you to cosponsor H. R. 3361, a bill introduced by Reps.
Knollenberg, Pallone and Radanovich to prohibit U.S. assistance of new rail
lines connecting Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey that specifically excludes
Armenia.

Recently Azerbaijan proposed a new Kars-Tbilisi-Baku rail line, which is
estimated to cost $400 - 800 million and will take months, if not years to
construct. This route makes no commercial sense as there is already an existing
Kars (Turkey)-Gyumri (Armenia)-Tbilisi railroad line that could be operational
in weeks at very little cost. In fact, the European Union High Representative
for the Common Foreign and Security Policy recently stated that that the
European Union hopes for the speedy opening of the Turkish-Armenian border,
which will allow the restoration of Kars-Gyumri railway communication instead
of constructing a new "difficult" route Kars-Akhalkalaki.

Excluding Armenia from regional projects fosters instability and, therefore,
undermines U.S. policy goals of promoting regional integration and cooperation
in the South Caucasus. For these reasons, I strongly urge you to cosponsor H.R.
3361 to ensure regional cooperation and integration.

Sincerely,
(Your Name)
(You Address)

********************
Contact Information
********************
1. Send a pre-written letter to your Representative by entering your zip code
in the "Contact Congress" box on our website at http://www.aaainc.org
<BLOCKED::http://www.aaainc.org/> and hitting "Go!"

2. Draft a personal letter to your Representative.
The heading for your letters should appear as:

The Honorable full name
United States House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515

Dear Representative last name:
To find your Representative's fax number, enter your zip code in the "Contact
Congress" box on our website at http://www.aaainc.org and press "Go!" or call
the US Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and ask to be connected to your
Representative.

3. Or... call the US Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and ask to be
connected to your Representative. If you do not know the name of your
Representative, enter your zip code in the "Contact Congress" box on our
web-site at http://www.aaainc.org and press "Go!"

******************************************
Members of Congress signed onto H. R. 3361
******************************************
Rep Andrews, Robert E.[NJ-1]
Rep Baca, Joe [CA-43]
Rep Berman, Howard L.[CA-28]
Rep Bilirakis, Michael[FL-9]
Rep Bishop, Timothy H.[NY-1]
Rep Bradley, Jeb [NH-1]
Rep Brady, Robert A. [PA-1]
Rep Calvert, Ken [CA-44]
Rep Costa, Jim [CA-20]
Rep Costello, Jerry F.[IL-12]
Rep Crenshaw, Ander [FL-4]
Rep Crowley, Joseph [NY-7]
Rep Davis, Susan A. [CA-53]
Rep Dent, Charles W. [PA-15]
Rep Doggett, Lloyd [TX-25]
Rep Eshoo, Anna G.[CA-14]
Rep Filner, Bob [CA-51]
Rep Fitzpatrick, Michael G.[PA-8]
Rep Frank, Barney [MA-4]
Rep Garrett, Scott [NJ-5]
Rep Gerlach, Jim [PA-6]
Rep Grijalva, Raul M. [AZ-7]
Rep Hinchey, Maurice D. [NY-22]
Rep Holt, Rush D. [NJ-12]
Rep Issa, Darrell E. [CA-49]
Rep Jackson, Jesse L., Jr. [IL-2]
Rep Kaptur, Marcy [OH-9]
Rep Knollenberg, Joe [MI-9]
Rep Kirk, Mark Steven [IL-10]
Rep Langevin, James R. [RI-2]
Rep Levin, Sander M. [MI-12]
Rep Lynch, Stephen F. [MA-9]
Rep Maloney, Carolyn B. [NY-14]
Rep Markey, Edward J. [MA-7]
Rep Matsui, Doris O. [CA-5]
Rep McCarthy, Carolyn [NY-4]
Rep McCotter, Thaddeus G. [MI-11]
Rep McGovern, James P. [MA-3]
Rep McNulty, Michael R. [NY-21]
Rep Meehan, Martin T. [MA-5]
Rep Menendez, Robert [NJ-13]
Rep Miller, Gary G. [CA-42]
Rep Miller, George [CA-7]
Rep Napolitano, Grace F. [CA-38]
Rep Neal, Richard E. [MA-2]
Rep Pallone, Frank, Jr. [NJ-6]
Rep Payne, Donald M. [NJ-10]
Rep Peterson, Collin C. [MN-7]
Rep Pombo, Richard W. [CA-11]
Rep Radanovich, George [CA-19]
Rep Rogers, Mike [MI-8]
Rep Rothman, Steven R. [NJ-9]
Rep Royce, Edward R. [CA-40]
Rep Rush, Bobby L. [IL-1]
Rep Sanchez, Loretta [CA-47]
Rep Schakowsky, Janice D. [IL-9]
Rep Schiff, Adam B. [CA-29]
Rep Schwarz, John J.H. "Joe" [MI-7]
Rep Sherman, Brad [CA-27]
Rep Solis, Hilda L.[CA-32]
Rep Souder, Mark E. [IN-3]
Rep Tauscher, Ellen O. [CA-10]
Rep Udall, Mark [CO-2]
Rep Van Hollen, Chris [MD-8]
Rep Visclosky, Peter J.[IN-1]
Rep Waxman, Henry A. [CA-30]
Rep Weiner, Anthony D. [NY-9]