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OTTAWA: Assadourian to advise PM on foreign policy

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  • OTTAWA: Assadourian to advise PM on foreign policy

    Assadourian to advise PM on foreign policy
    By Lynne Cohen

    Jewish Tribune
    May 20, 2004 - 29 Iyar, 5764

    Leaders in the Jewish community reacted cautiously to the announcement
    that Sarkis Assadourian is stepping aside after almost 11 years
    representing the Liberals in the Ontario riding of Brampton Springdale,
    in order to join the Prime Minister's office as a special advisor
    on foreign affairs. The Syrian-born, Armenian MP will be responsible
    for Near Eastern and South Caucasus affairs.

    "I am delighted to be able to turn to Sarkis Assadourian for expertise
    when it comes to matters of trade and foreign relations with the Near
    East," said the Prime Minister in a statement immediately following
    the appointment.

    Assadourian's appointment is in exchange for giving up his riding so
    that Manitoba-born Ruby Dhalla, a Toronto chiropractor, can run for
    the Liberals in his place. Assadourian has been a frequent critic of
    Israel in recent years. In 2002 he attempted to introduce a Motion in
    the House of Commons calling on fellow MPs to express their support
    for what he called "our government's position at the UN" on Israel. At
    the time he was referring to UN Security Council Resolution 1402
    which called for the immediate "withdrawal of Israeli troops from
    Palestinian cities, including Ramallah." This resolution was adopted
    after a series of Palestinian suicide bombings prompted Israel to
    deploy Israeli troops around Yasser Arafat's headquarters in Ramallah.

    A spokesman for Assadourian, Daniel Kennedy, said the countries
    involved in Assadourian's new portfolio are Eastern European as well
    as Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan. "He is not advising on the Middle
    East," said Kennedy.

    "Just because the countries under Assadourian's mandate do not include
    those in the Middle East, it does not necessarily follow that his
    appointment will have no wider impact," said Amos Sochaczevski,
    National Chair of B'nai Brith Canada's Institute for International
    Affairs. "What happens in the Middle East impacts many different
    countries in many different regions, several of which are struggling
    with the rising tide of Islamic extremism and terrorism in their
    own territories."

    Assadourian hosted a reception recently to provide a representative of
    the Armenian Patriarchate in Jerusalem with a platform to explain why
    his organization was suing the Israeli government over the construction
    of its security fence.

    "Our concerns are not limited to international issues," said
    Sochaczevski. "For instance, not only does Assadourian oppose the
    construction of a Holocaust museum, he also opposes the construction
    of any museum on intolerance that would place emphasis on the Holocaust
    as a unique event in history."

    Instead, Assadourian has been promoting a private members bill that
    would see the creation of an exhibit at the Museum of Civilization
    located in Gatineau, across the river from Parliament Hill, that
    would commemorate in a generic sense all "crimes against humanity
    perpetrated during the 20th century."

    "My position has been from day one that we can't have one museum for
    every minority," explained Assadourian at the time.

    "A museum... is not a doughnut shop that you open on every street
    corner. It has to be inclusive..."

    Assadourian's appointment comes at a time when Canadian Jews are
    beginning to ask themselves where exactly the Government stands
    on issues of concern to the Jewish community. The day before the
    announcement, Canada supported a resolution at the United Nations
    that for all intents and purposes denied Israel any a priori rights
    in the disputed territories. This is a move that contradicts the
    government's own guidelines on Middle East policy, which emphasize the
    importance of not pre-judging the outcome of final negotiations and
    of reaching a negotiated agreement between the parties. Canada's vote
    also went against Resolution 242 which it has always endorsed. That
    resolution recognizes that modifications to the so-called Green Line
    are necessary.

    "Our Government must make up its mind on the fundamental issue,"
    added Sochaczevski... "Either Canada supports Israel as the only free
    and democratic country in the region, or it doesn't."

    From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
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