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  • ASBAREZ Online [07-03-2006]

    ASBAREZ ONLINE
    TOP STORIES
    07/03/2006
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    1)ARF Calls for Strengthening Of Armenia's Border Regions
    2) Senate Delays Hoagland Confirmation
    3) Azerbaijan 'Against Referendum In Karabakh'
    4) Catholic Priest Stabbed in Turkey

    1) ARF Calls for Strengthening Of Armenia's Border Regions

    YEREVANThe Bureau of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation Monday issued an
    announcement calling on its rank and file, as well as all Armenians to support
    initiatives to bolster and develop the border regions of Armenia. This
    announcement comes months before the third Armenia-Diaspora Conference, which
    will address the development of border regions as its main agenda item.
    Below is the translated text of the declaration:

    Dear compatriots,

    This year all Armenians will celebrate the 15th anniversary of their
    independent statehood. We will celebrate this jubilee, fully aware of its
    importance and with the determination to reform, build and strengthen our
    Armenian Homeland.
    Independence is the utmost privilege, and it is the duty of each of us to
    make
    Armenia a center for justice, democracy and solidarity.
    Coinciding with the anniversary of our state is the third Armenia-Diaspora
    conference in Yerevan from September 18-20. It is yet another opportunity to
    unite our national potential and to direct it in a consciously organized
    manner
    toward the political, economic, spiritual and cultural development of the
    Homeland, as well as the resolution of pan-national issues and toward
    overcomingwith dignity the challenges facing Armenians and Armenia in the 21st
    century.
    On the agenda of this conference, there will be a very specific issue, with a
    strategic goal: to find resources and solutions in order to develop the border
    regions specifically, to improve and modernize the infrastructure of villages
    and to help the population resolve its social issues.
    On its part, the Bureau of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation calls upon
    all structures, units, individuals in Armenia and the Diaspora, and first of
    all its organizational regions and members, to actively participate in the
    realization of this program and to undertake specific responsibilities.
    Through this step, we will prove that we are able to have a strong and
    sovereign Homeland, that we are able to become an influential presence in the
    large family of nations.
    Let us mark the anniversary of our state through concrete work and
    responsibility.

    Armenian Revolutionary Federation Bureau
    July 3, 2006
    Yerevan

    2) Senate Delays Hoagland Confirmation

    WASHINGTONIn the wake of this past Wednesday's contentious Senate Foreign
    Relations Committee nomination hearing for Ambassador to Armenia Designate
    Richard Hoagland, panel members John Kerry (D-Mass.), Paul Sarbanes (D-Md.),
    Lincoln Chafee (R-RI), and Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) have each submitted a
    series of detailed written questions asking the nominee to explain the
    guidance
    he has received from the State Department concerning its policy on the
    Armenian
    Genocide, reported the Armenian National Committee.
    Senator Christopher Dodd (D-Conn.) also sent a letter of inquiry this week
    concerning the recall of the current US Ambassador to Armenia John Evans
    following his statements affirming the Armenian Genocide.
    During the June 28th nomination hearing, Sen. George Allen (R-Va.), Sen. Norm
    Coleman (R-Minn.), and Sen. Paul Sarbanes (D-Md.) pressed the nominee for an
    explanation of the State Department's guidance regarding the use of the word
    "genocide" to properly characterize this crime against humanity. Senators
    Allen
    and Coleman peppered the nominee with numerous questions and expressed
    frustration as the Ambassador-Designate avoided giving direct answers to
    any of
    the questions, resorting to the use of euphemisms.
    Ambassador-Designate Hoagland's June 28th appearance before the Foreign
    Relations Committee was alongside nominees for the US ambassadorships to
    Ireland and Switzerland, who were subsequently approved by the Committee and
    then the full Senate on June 29th. In contrast, the Committee deferred action
    on confirming the proposed new ambassador to Armenia.
    "Seven of the eighteen members of the Foreign Relations Committeeover one
    third of this influential panelare already on record raising serious concerns
    about confirming a new ambassador to Yerevan before receiving a full, open,
    and
    official explanation of the circumstances surrounding the recall of our
    current
    ambassador, the instructions given to our prospective ambassador, andmore
    broadlythe exact nature of our government's policy on the Armenian Genocide,"
    said ANCA Chairman Ken Hachikian. "In light of the seriousness of these
    issuesand the lack of responsiveness from the Administrationwe were gratified
    that the Committee has wisely delayed action on the new ambassador to Yerevan
    until these fundamental questions have been answered."
    In the days leading up to the confirmation hearing, Senate Foreign Relations
    Committee Ranking Democrat Joseph Biden (D-Del.) asked Secretary Condoleezza
    Rice for a thorough explanation of the circumstances of the premature
    recall of
    US Ambassador to Armenia John Marshall Evans over his public comments
    affirming
    the Armenian Genocide. In his June 23rd letter to Secretary Rice, Sen.
    Biden, a
    potential 2008 Presidential candidate, stated that he would "not be
    prepared to
    move forward with any Senate action that would prematurely end his [Amb.
    Evans'] tenure in Yerevan" until a series of questions concerning Evans'
    dismissal and the State Department's failure to properly recognize the
    Armenian
    Genocide had been answered. Sen. Biden wrote further to Secretary Rice,
    "Recalling an accomplished American diplomat for speaking truthfully about
    genocide could feed widespread cynicism about United States' foreign policy. I
    hope that you will carefully reconsider the long-term implications of this
    decision on the United States' ability to promote freedom and respect for
    human
    life."
    Senator Kerry submitted a three-page set of detailed questions to the
    Ambassador-Designate. Among his inquiries was the following:
    "During your June 28, 2006 confirmation hearing, you stated the following
    when
    responding to a question on the State Department's policy on the Armenian
    Genocide: "I simply studied the policy, I studied the background papers on the
    policy, I know the policy and my responsibility is to support the president."
    1. Please describe, in detail, the source, purpose, content, and
    conclusions of
    all "policy" documents, "background papers," and other materials concerning
    the
    Armenian Genocide that you reviewed and provide copies of these materials to
    the Committee for its review. Turkey has consistently denied that it committed
    genocide against Armenians and in fact has jailed several journalists for
    stating otherwise, as in the case of Hrant Dink, a Turkish publisher who was
    convicted for simply writing about the Armenian Genocide. And the criminal law
    penalizing speech on the Armenian Genocide remains on the books in Turkey.
    2. What is the Administration's position on these imprisonments?
    3. Do you believe the policy of non-recognition encourages the repressive
    actions taken by Turkey?
    Senator Sarbanes, who spoke at Wednesday's confirmation hearing, followed up
    today with a set of seven additional questions:
    1. How many people died, and during what period, in the Armenian Genocide?
    2. What were the causes of these deaths?
    3. What actions were taken by US diplomats in Turkey at that time to warn and
    report on the events?
    4. What steps were taken to punish perpetrators of the Armenian genocide?
    5. How does the US define "genocide"?
    6. Does the United Nations consider the atrocities against Armenians to be a
    "genocide"?
    7. Since the Ottoman Empire is long gone, why does Turkey view discussion of
    the genocide as a reflection on its own government and people?
    Among the questions asked by Senator Chafee was a request that
    Ambassador-Designate Hoagland explain "the State Department's policy regarding
    statements by official US government representatives, such as yourself, about
    the Armenian Genocide." The Rhode Island legislator also asked if the nominee
    had "ever been counseled to not refer to the events of 1915 as the Armenian
    Genocide."
    Sen. Dodd outlined his concerns in a letter to Secretary of State Condoleezza
    Rice, stating that he is "interested to learn more about the circumstances
    that
    lead to his [Evans] departure," noting that "an effort, intended to destroy in
    whole or in part a national, ethnic, racial or religious group, clearly
    constitutes an act of genocide."
    Last week, House Armenian Genocide Resolution lead sponsors George Radanovich
    (R-Calif.) and Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) joined with Congressional Armenian
    Caucus
    Co-Chairs Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and Joe Knollenberg (R-Mich.) in urging
    Secretary Rice to reconsider replacing Amb. Evans, noting that "allowing John
    Evans to continue as Ambassador to Armenia sends a strong message on the
    necessity of Turkish recognition, and will be an important step in
    establishing
    the US position on the Armenian Genocide."
    Over the past several months, scores of Senate and House Members have
    directed
    questions to State Department officials, calling for answers surrounding the
    controversial firing of Amb. Evans, including 60 Representatives who joined
    Rep. Edward Markey (D-Mass.) in a letter to Secretary Rice, Rep. Grace
    Napolitano (D-Calif.) who submitted questions to Assistant Secretary of State
    Dan Fried, and Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) who submitted questions to
    Secretary
    Rice. Massachusetts Senators Ted Kennedy and John Kerry also asked Secretary
    Rice for clarification on the Amb. Evans dismissal. The Administration has
    either failed to provide responses or provided responses, which have been
    largely perfunctory, citing that Ambassadors serve at the pleasure of the
    President, but giving no clear insight into the State Department's decision to
    dismiss the career diplomat after 35 years of distinguished service.
    The State Department, with the blessing of the White House, fired Amb. Evans
    in response to his February 2005 statements at Armenian American community
    functions, during which he properly characterized the Armenian Genocide as
    "genocide." Following his statements, Amb. Evans was forced to issue a
    statement clarifying that his references to the Armenian Genocide were his
    personal views and did not represent a change in US policy. He subsequently
    issued a correction to this statement, replacing a reference to the genocide
    with the word "tragedy." The American Foreign Service Association, which had
    decided to honor Amb. Evans with the "Christian A. Herter Award," recognizing
    creative thinking and intellectual courage within the Foreign Service,
    reportedly rescinded the award following pressure from the State Department in
    the days leading up to Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's visit to
    Washington, DC to meet with President Bush.
    Armenian American response to Amb. Evans' dismissal has been widespread with
    thousands calling on their legislators to take action and demand answers. In a
    March 8th letter to Secretary Rice, ANCA Chairman Ken Hachikian noted that
    "if,
    in fact, punitive measures are being taken against Ambassador Evans, this
    would
    represent a tragic retreat from our nation's core values. It would also
    represent a new low in our government's shameful complicity in the Turkish
    government's campaign of denial. Not only does the State Department
    continue to
    be publicly silent as Turkey criminally prosecutes its writers and citizens
    for
    speaking about the Armenian Genocide, it appears the State Department is
    following Turkey's lead by muzzling and punishing an American diplomat for his
    speech and his acknowledgment of a genocide that is extensively documented in
    the State Department's own archives."
    In Yerevan, a candle-light vigil was held by hundreds of human rights
    activists during the June 28th Senate confirmation hearing, as part of the
    "Yellow Ribbon Campaign" protesting the firing the Amb. Evans. On April 24th,
    tens of thousands had tied yellow ribbons in solidarity with the US
    Ambassador,
    who had stood with the Armenian people in honoring the victims and
    survivors of
    the Armenian Genocide.

    3) Azerbaijan 'Against Referendum In Karabakh'

    BAKU (RFE/RL)A senior Azeri official said on Monday that Azerbaijan has never
    accepted a solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict that would culminate in a
    referendum in Karabakh proper, despite Armenian claims to the contrary.
    Deputy Foreign Minister Araz Azimov was quoted by the Turan news agency as
    saying that Baku believes such a vote should instead take place on
    Azerbaijan's
    entire internationally recognized territory. "That is reflected in the [Azeri]
    constitution and the country's leadership does not intend to revise its
    opinion," he said.
    In a statement last week, Armenia's Foreign Ministry said at the heart of a
    peaceful settlement proposed by the American, French and Russian mediators is
    the idea of enabling Karabakh's predominantly Armenian population to determine
    its status in a referendum after the liberation of most Armenian-occupied
    lands
    in Azerbaijan proper.
    The ministry asserted that Presidents Ilham Aliyev and Robert Kocharian
    agreed
    on this formula during their recent face-to-face negotiations. "The area of
    disagreement between the presidents has to do with the sequence in which the
    consequences of the military conflict are removed," it said.
    A separate statement by the mediators made public two days later likewise
    said
    that Karabakh's status would be decided in a "referendum or population vote."
    But it did not specify where that vote would take place and who would be
    eligible to participate in it. Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian
    insisted on Thursday that the framework peace accord put forward by the
    mediators makes it clear that the decision on the status is to be made by the
    "population of Nagorno-Karabakh."
    Azimov was reported to have denied this, accusing Yerevan of "distorting the
    content of the talks" and interpreting the referendum idea "in a manner
    advantageous to them." He also indicated Baku's discontent with the mediators'
    statement, saying that the French, Russian and US co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk
    Group disclosed and "took out of context" only some key points of the proposed
    peace deal.

    4) Catholic Priest Stabbed in Turkey

    ANKARA (BBC)A French Roman Catholic priest has been stabbed by a
    knife-carrying
    attacker in the Turkish Black Sea port of Samsun.
    The attack on Father Pierre Brunissen, 74, is the third assault on a Catholic
    priest in Turkey in recent months.
    Father Brunissen was stabbed in the hip and leg and rushed to hospital, but a
    church official said his condition was not life-threatening.
    Police detained an unnamed 47-year-old man who they described as suffering
    from mental illness.
    The man had allegedly made complaints about Frather Brunissen trying to
    convert people to his faith.
    Reports said he was attacked in a busy street about 1 kilometers from his
    church. "I hope this has nothing to with Islamic fundamentalism," Monsignor
    Luigi Padovese, the apostolic vicar for Anatolia, told the Associated Press .
    "The climate has changed... it is the Catholic priests that are being
    targeted."
    Father Andrea Santoro, an Italian, was shot dead in his church in the northern
    town of Trabizon in February.
    A 16-year-old boy has been charged with the 60-year-old priest's death.
    Witnesses said the youth yelled "God is great" in Arabic before firing two
    bullets into Santoro's back.
    Another priest, a Slovenian, was grabbed by the throat, thrown into a garden
    and received death threats during an attack in the port of Izmir, the
    Associated Press reported.

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