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  • ASBAREZ Online [06-16-2005]

    ASBAREZ ONLINE
    TOP STORIES
    06/16/2005
    TO ACCESS PREVIOUS ASBAREZ ONLINE EDITIONS PLEASE VISIT OUR
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    1) Germany Angers Turkey with Resolution on Armenian 'Massacres'
    2) ARF's Margarian Stresses Armenia Not at A Disadvantage in Karabagh Talks
    3) ANCA Launches Response to Erdogan's Wave of Genocide Denial
    4) His Holiness Karekin II Meets with Governor Schwarzenegger

    1) Germany Angers Turkey with Resolution on Armenian 'Massacres'

    BERLIN (Bloomberg/DPA)Straining relations with Turkey, the German Bundestag
    parliament adopted a resolution on Thursday condemning the massacre of up to
    1.5 million ethnic Armenians in the Ottoman Empire 90 years ago.
    The resolution criticized the current government of Turkey for "neglecting to
    address the issue" in a forthright manner.
    Turkey's foreign minister Abdullah Gul denounced the resolution as
    "irresponsible, appalling and injurious" to relations between the two
    countries.
    "We note this decision with regret and we strongly condemn it," said a
    statement released by the foreign ministry. The statement accused the
    resolution of being rooted in "domestic politics" and called it "irresponsible
    and narrow-minded."
    The extent of the massacres and deportations of Armenians is still being
    played down or denied by the modern Turkish government, contradicting the idea
    of reconciliation promoted by the European Union, according to the motion,
    which was submitted by all parliamentary groups. It stopped short of
    describing
    the killings as genocide.
    "The lower house of parliament regrets that an extensive discussion of events
    in the then Ottoman Empire still is not possible and that academics and
    writers
    who want to look into this part of Turkish history are being prosecuted and
    defamed," the motion said.
    Turkey denies allegations that the Ottoman Empire's treatment of its Armenian
    subjects in 1915 was a planned genocide, arguing that an Armenian rebellion
    caused clashes and the resulting deaths. The European Union, with which Turkey
    is due to start membership talks Oct. 3, has said the dispute with Armenia
    clouds Turkey's bid to join.
    "It's not possible to accept the notion of `genocide' without relying on
    documents and information," Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan
    said at
    a news conference in Beirut, Lebanon on Thursday. "We are proud of our
    history.
    Therefore we cannot stand by while this issue is being used as a political
    tool, as free political capital by lobby groups."

    'Abundantly Documented'

    Turkey should take responsibility for the deaths because the evidence of
    genocide is "abundantly documented," the Purdue University, Indiana-based
    International Association of Genocide Scholars said in a letter to Erdogan on
    April 6.
    During a visit to Turkey on May 4, German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder urged
    the Armenian government to accept a proposal by Turkey that scholars from both
    countries study the genocide claims.
    More than 1 million Armenians died in massacres, on death marches through the
    Syrian desert or in camps, the German parliamentary motion said. Acknowledging
    the former injustice would help normalize the relationship between Armenia and
    Turkey and stabilize the Caucasus region, it said.
    The lawmakers said Turkey is showing some positive signs that it is beginning
    to address the issue, such as an invitation to Turks of Armenian origin by the
    Turkish National Assembly to talk about the crimes, an exchange of documents
    between Turkish and Armenian historians and Erdogan opening the first Armenian
    museum in Istanbul.
    Still, they criticized the cancellation by the Turkish Justice Ministry of a
    conference on the subject by Turkish academics that had been due to take place
    in May.
    The motion also expressed regret that the German government of the time
    didn't
    act to prevent the killings even though it was aware of what was happening.


    2) ARF's Margarian Stresses Armenia Not at A Disadvantage in Karabagh Talks

    YEREVAN (YERKIR)--Commenting on the current stage of negotiations in settling
    the Mountainous Karabagh conflict, Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF)
    Bureau representative Hrant Margarian said during a press conference on
    Thursday that it is wrong to create a defeatist environment in Armenia.
    He stressed that while there is international pressure on Azerbaijan to
    accept
    that Karabagh--and probably Lachin as wellshould join Armenia, the same forces
    pressure Armenia to accept the return of liberated territories to Azerbaijan.
    "I don't believe there is an Armenian who wants the liberated territories to
    be returned," Margarian said. "I admit, however, that the issue can be touched
    on during negotiations, soley for tactical reasons."
    He said that Azerbaijan, even in principal, refuses to consider the issue of
    ceding Karabagh to Armenia, and instead of negotiating, resorts to militant
    rhetoric.
    Pointing to Azerbaijan's position, he asked, "Why do we then create a
    seemingly defeatist mood among our people?"
    "This is unwise, to say the least. Our people have paid a big price for the
    liberation of Karabagh and will not let anyone surrender territories." He
    added
    that concessions should not include Karabagh's sovereignty, national identity,
    and present borders.
    Speaking about Armenia's coalition government, he said that it is
    ineffective,
    and just beyond a "formality."
    "Let no one cheat anyone else. It is the reality of this country. We must
    look
    at this reality with open eyes, with courage, and be able to find solutions.
    Our new approach is that we will make every effort for the coalition to start
    working soon," Margarian concluded.


    3) ANCA Launches Response to Erdogan's Wave of Genocide Denial

    Seven-part Action Alert featured on ANCA website

    WASHINGTON, DC--Activists from across the United States, throughout Europe,
    and
    around the world are streaming to the Armenian National Committee of America's
    (ANCA) website to take part in a seven-part on-line response to Turkish Prime
    Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's recently unleashed international wave of
    genocide denial.
    In recent weeks, Erdogan has dramatically raised the stakes in his
    government's campaign to deny the Armenian Genocide, orchestrating the
    purchase
    of major media advertisements, applying intense pressure on foreign
    governments, and severely cracking down on dissidents within Turkey who
    seek to
    speak openly about this crime against humanity. Elements of this wave of
    denial include:

    --Blocking the first-ever Armenian genocide conference in Turkey, which
    was to
    have taken place in Istanbul this June.
    --Spending over $1,000,000 to have Time Magazine include DVDs denying the
    Armenian genocide in all of its editions throughout Europe, and placing a
    major
    genocide denial ad in the Washington Post.
    --Pressing the US government to withdraw the American Foreign Service
    Association's "Constructive Dissent" award to US Ambassador to Armenia John
    Evans for speaking the truth about the Genocide.
    --Pressuring President Bush, during their June 8th White House meeting, to
    oppose the Armenian Genocide Resolution before Congress. This legislation
    (H.Res.316) was introduced on June 14th by Congressmen George Radanovich
    (R-CA), Adam Schiff (D-CA), and Armenian Caucus Co-Chairmen Joe Knollenberg
    (R-MI), and Frank Pallone (D-NJ).
    --Twisting arms at the State Department to continue to exclude any mention of
    the Armenian genocide in the Department's official website's section on
    Armenian history. http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/5275.htm
    --Imposing an effective "gag-rule," silencing any US protests over Turkey's
    new Penal Code provision (Section 305) outlawing even the discussion of the
    Genocide.

    "The powerful response to our action alert reflects the seriousness with
    which
    Armenians worldwide are responding to Erdogan's escalation of his attacks on
    the truth, on the memories of genocide victims, and on the very security of
    Armenia," said Aram Hamparian, Executive Director of the ANCA.
    "But he will fail--despite all the millions of dollars and vast political
    capital he will expend. He'll fail--because of the powerful grassroots
    response he will face from Armenian Americans; because of the moral
    indignation
    of the American people as they learn more about how his government's values
    stand in stark contrast to those held by the vast majority of Americans;
    because he is finding himself increasingly isolated internationally as he
    loses
    his partners in denial, and - perhaps most importantly - because his years of
    hateful lies and deception will collapse under their own weight," added
    Hamparian.
    The ANCA website--www.anca.org--features a seven-part array of action alerts
    on issues ranging from the Armenian Genocide Resolution to the Time Magazine
    (European Edition) DVD advertisement denying the Armenian Genocide. These
    web-based components complement the work of the ANCA's Washington, DC staff,
    regional offices in Los Angeles and New York City, and its network of more
    than
    fifty chapters and tens of thousands of volunteer activists.


    4) His Holiness Karekin II Meets with Governor Schwarzenegger

    SACRAMENTO--Senator Chuck Poochigian welcomed His Holiness Karekin II,
    Catholicos of All Armenians, to California's State Capitol on Wednesday, where
    he met privately with Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and a number of lawmakers
    at a reception in his honor.
    The Governor and His Holiness spoke about the history of the Armenian Church
    and people, the effects of Soviet rule on Armenia, and the condition of the
    republic following the devastating earthquake, and collapse of communism. They
    also discussed the spiritual growth of the people of Armenia and importance of
    the church in the lives Armenians. His Holiness expressed gratitude to the
    Governor for signing of SB 424, introduced by Sen. Poochigian, that
    permanently
    designates the week of April 24 California's week of remembrance of the
    Armenian genocide.


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