Lev7

Message from ANCA October 26, 2007 I am writing to offer you our perspective about the progress of H.Res.106, the Armenian Genocide Resolution Over the past two weeks and, in particular, the last couple of days, we’ve seen some truly remarkable developments – many good, some bad, and several that have yet to play out. I’d like to share a few of my thoughts on these with you. Hard-hitting advocacy – earning respect Our nationwide grassroots full-court press leading up to the October 10th passage of the Armenian Genocide Resolution in the Foreign Affairs Committee earned truly worldwide respect for the “Armenian Lobby.” Proving that we can win an intensely contested committee vote (27 to 21), in the face of heavy White House pressure, a multi-million dollar Turkish lobby, and personal calls from the President himself, put us firmly in the top tier of ethnic lobbies and among the most powerful citizen groups impacting our nation’s foreign policy. We’re still hard at work moving the Resolution forward. Just yesterday, we wrapped up our latest H.Res.106 Advocacy Days, which brought volunteers from some 20 states to Washington to speak directly with their elected representatives. We’ll continue to organize these programs and invite you to consider taking part, even as we continue to broaden our internet and phone outreach around the nation. (In just the past month, over 4,000 new activists have volunteered to help the ANCA.) A media firestorm – educating millions With over 6,000 mainstream media articles published in the past three weeks about H.Res.106 – including front page articles in the New York Times and lead stories on CNN and the other television networks - we have educated hundreds of millions across the world, many for the first time, about the Armenian Genocide. In a very powerful sense, given Turkey’s long-term goal of burying the Armenian Genocide issue, all coverage of this issue – even the attacks – is positive. We take issue, of course, with the criticisms, much of it very unfair and hateful, and, with your help, are working hard with our public relations partners to steer the media toward more balanced and accurate reporting. FYI - our website alone had over 5 million “hits” in just the first three weeks of this month. Genocide denial - turning the tide In the media, on America’s editorial pages, and in the halls of Congress, we have won the debate over history, forcing opponents – by virtue of our ability to consistently and effectively communicate the factual record of this crime – to abandon their hateful denials and resort instead to “timing” and “national security” arguments to make their case. If you watch the roughly three hours of frequently contentious Committee debate, you’ll see that none of the 16 Committee members who spoke against H.Res.106 – as wrong as they were in their argumentation - actually denied the Armenian Genocide; in fact, many openly acknowledged it. This reality represents a significant step forward, but one we need to work to sustain. Turkey - revealing an unreliable ally Turkey profoundly disappointed even many of its best allies in Washington by displaying a truly remarkable willingness – even a seeming eagerness - to disrupt U.S. military operations. Even as U.S. officials appease Turkey over the short-term, top policymakers in the Pentagon and State Department are drawing up alternative plans to supply and support our operations in Iraq and throughout the Middle East. Armenians Americans – standing up as the conscience of America And finally, we demonstrated – by our courage and determination – that the real danger to America is not from Turkey’s threats, but rather from compromising our international moral leadership under pressure from a foreign government. Not everyone saw this right away. Some were blinded temporarily by Turkey’s fireworks. Others paused in their support out of a natural concern over how Turkey’s threats would impact our troops. Most are now beginning to see that Turkey’s threats – not our nation’s principled defense of human rights – are the real problem. And so, as you might expect, we’re already seeing a backlash. Over the past few days, even as H.Res.106’s path to passage is being revised as Members of Congress sort through Turkey’s threats, we are seeing an initial reaction of caution give way to a more lasting impression - one of disappointment, even anger, that an ally is so brazenly threatening the security of our troops. We are confident that, as the confusion over these threats lifts, that an even stronger bipartisan majority will stand up against Turkey's intimidation and vote to adopt this human rights resolution on its merits. In fact, we spoke personally to a Congressional leader today – who remain rock-solid in her commitment to U.S. recognition of the Armenian Genocide. Now that I’ve brought you up to speed on where we stand, I’d like to share with you our path ahead and suggest how you can help us reach our goals. Our job now is to strengthen our majority, Member of Congress by Member of Congress, constituent by constituent, setting the stage for the successful bipartisan passage of H.Res.106. You can do this by educating yourself about all the latest facts, and then sharing this information with your elected officials. By explaining that we advance our interests by standing up for our values, not by caving in to foreign intimidation. And, of course, by demanding – in the best spirit of American citizen advocacy – that our government always lives up to our highest ideals as a nation. Take action – making a difference You can start right now by sending a free ANCA WebFax to your U.S. Representative. After you do, if you haven’t already, please take a moment to read up on this issue by visiting the following links: * ANCA press release on the revised timetable for H.Res.106 including our two page letter to Members of Congress * Los Angeles Times article on recent developments Thank you for your devotion and hard work. We could not have reached this far without you, and without you we won’t be able to finally put America back on the right side of this issue. Rest assured that we will continue this struggle until we prevail. Warmest regards, Aram Hamparian Executive Director

ARMENIAN GENOCIDE RESOLUTION SPONSORS ANNOUNCE REVISED TIMETABLE FOR HOUSE CONSIDERATION OF H.RES.106 Schiff, Pallone, Sherman and Eshoo Send Letter to Speaker Pelosi Citing Continued Efforts to Pass Resolution “Later this Year or in 2008” WASHINGTON, DC – The four leading Democratic sponsors of the Armenian Genocide Resolution (H.Res.106) have called on Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) to adopt a revised schedule for the consideration of this human rights legislation by the House of Representatives, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA). In a letter sent today to Speaker Pelosi, lead author Adam Schiff (D-CA), Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chair Frank Pallone (D-NJ), and Representatives Brad Sherman (D-CA) and Anna Eshoo (D-CA) stressed that, in asking for this delay, “we believe that a large majority of our colleagues want to support a resolution recognizing the genocide on the House floor and that they will do so, provided the timing is more favorable.” The letter goes on to note that they will continue to work with Speaker Pelosi’s staff and the House Foreign Affairs Committee staff to bring up the resolution “sometime later this year or in 2008.” “Trying to advance American interests by compromising our values is a fast-track to failure in foreign policy,” said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian. “By enabling Turkey’s genocide denial, America undermines its own ability to be a positive influence in the Middle East and around the world.” In a letter circulated today to every member of the House, Hamparian noted that, “In the days since the House Foreign Affairs Committee approved the Armenian Genocide resolution (H.Res.106), the initial cautious response by many Members of Congress to Turkey’s threats has already begun to give way to a more lasting impression of disappointment, even anger, that an ally is so brazenly threatening the security of our troops.” He added that, “we are confident that, as the confusion over these threats lifts, an even stronger bipartisan majority will stand up against Turkey’s intimidation and vote to adopt this human rights resolution on its merits.” The letter also noted that Armenian Americans remain deeply appreciative of the leadership of Speaker Nancy Pelosi, chief authors Adam Schiff and George Radanovich (R-CA), Armenian Caucus Co-Chairmen Frank Pallone and Joe Knollenberg (R-MI), and leading advocates Brad Sherman, Ed Royce (R-CA), Anna Eshoo, and Thaddeus McCotter (R-MI), all of whom are working with their colleagues on a bipartisan basis to put America on the right side of this human rights issue. The full text of the ANCA letter is provided below. ##### TEXT OF ANCA LETTER TO MEMBERS OF THE U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES October 25, 2007 Dear Representative: I am writing to share our thoughts about how the ongoing consideration by the House of H.Res.106, the Armenian Genocide Resolution, has brought greater clarity to this human rights issue. In the days and weeks since the Foreign Affairs Committee approved H.Res.106, we have seen that the initial response of caution to Turkey's wave of threats has already begun to give way to a more lasting impression -- one of disappointment, even anger, that an ally is so brazenly threatening the security of our troops. As the confusion over these threats lifts, we are confident that an even stronger bipartisan majority will stand up against Turkey's intimidation and vote to adopt this human rights resolution on its merits. Looking back on the contentious events of the past two weeks, three issues stand out: 1) Turkey has revealed itself to be an increasingly unreliable ally Turkey displayed a truly remarkable willingness to disrupt U.S. military operations. Sadly, Ankara's new readiness to place our strategic priorities at risk was only encouraged by its success, once again, in forcing the Administration's capitulation. As a result of our appeasement in responding to their blackmail, we can expect to see Turkey's leaders continue to employ similar threats in connection with the full range of issues on our bilateral agenda, among them Iraq, the Kurds, Israel, Syria, Cyprus, and Iran. Their behavior is particularly abhorrent in light of the challenges that we face today in Iraq. This disturbing episode serves as a much needed wake-up call for our State Department and Pentagon to make preparations to limit our future reliance upon Turkey by exploring alternate ways to supply and support our regional operations. 2) The real danger is compromising American moral leadership The true danger to U.S. interests and American troops comes not from Turkey’s threats, but rather from the long-term damage to our international standing when we publicly retreat from our core values under unwarranted pressure from a foreign government. We cannot advance our interests by compromising our values. Agreeing to a Turkish government-imposed “gag-rule” on the Armenian Genocide sets a dangerous precedent, emboldening other nations to use similar threats against America. Such a response diminishes our moral standing, making it more difficult to move international public opinion toward greater acceptance of our values and increased cooperation with our nation’s foreign policy priorities. Rest assured that Turkey will concoct another “threat” to our security whenever an Armenian Genocide resolution is considered. We would expect no less from a country where one literally faces prosecution for even speaking about the Armenian Genocide. 3) The facts of the Armenian Genocide are not in dispute The debate over the Armenian Genocide Resolution, particularly during the nearly three hours of consideration of this measure by the Foreign Affairs Committee, was characterized by a common acceptance of the Armenian Genocide. Even those who spoke most ardently against the measure – based on a fear of Turkey’s reaction – never denied this crime. While we remain, of course, deeply troubled by the opposition to this measure - in the view that it is always the right time for America to stand up against genocide – we do, however, take a measure of satisfaction from this progress within Congress toward a proper and accurate understanding of the history of the Armenian Genocide. Moving forward, we are hopeful that these considerations will help inform the ongoing discussion of H.Res.106 as we continue our efforts to secure its adoption by the 110th Congress. Armenian Americans remain deeply appreciative of the leadership of Speaker Nancy Pelosi, lead authors Adam Schiff and George Radanovich, Armenian Caucus Co-Chairmen Frank Pallone and Joe Knollenberg, and leading advocates Brad Sherman, Ed Royce, Anna Eshoo, and Thaddeus McCotter, all of whom are working with their colleagues to put America on the right side of this human rights issue. Thank you for your consideration of our concerns. We would, of course, be pleased to meet with you to discuss this matter in greater detail. Sincerely, [signed] Aram S. Hamparian Executive Director

So, I guess the bill will not be brought to a House vote

Anonymouse, did you have a lonely childhood, why do you cry for attention?

I smell a turkish rat a mile away, stop flattering yourself and putting "LA" as your obvious location makes you even more transparent

will someone please ban this azeri troll?

It looks like the resolution will not be brought to a House floor _______________________________________________ House Speaker Now Unsure if Armenian Genocide Motion Will Reach a Vote Published: October 18, 2007 WASHINGTON, Oct. 17 — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Wednesday that she was reconsidering her pledge to force a vote on a resolution condemning as genocide the mass killing of Armenians starting in 1915, as President Bush intensified his push to derail the legislation. Skip to next paragraph Enlarge This Image Doug Mills/The New York Times Representative Alcee L. Hastings of Florida, left, an opponent of the Armenian proposal, conferring with three other House Democrats, some of whom also expressed doubts: from left, Robert Wexler of Florida, and John Tanner and Steve Cohen, both of Tennessee. “Whether it will come up or not and what the action will be remains to be seen,” Ms. Pelosi said in light of the decline in support for the proposal, which, though nonbinding, has angered Turkey and raised fears that the Turkish government could reduce its strategic cooperation with the United States. The comments by the speaker, a key supporter of the measure, added to growing evidence that modern-day pragmatism was overwhelming supporters’ demands that the House render a historical verdict on the killings of the Armenians by Ottoman Turks. Mr. Bush, who as a candidate in 2000 criticized what he called a “genocidal campaign” against the Armenians, said lawmakers had better things to do than be caught up in the past, pursuing legislation that has unsettled an important ally. “With all these pressing responsibilities, one thing Congress should not be doing is sorting out the historical record of the Ottoman Empire,” Mr. Bush said. “Congress has more important work to do than antagonizing a democratic ally in the Muslim world, especially one that is providing vital support for our military every day.” Backers of the resolution said they would push ahead despite mounting opposition and try to rally support for the declaration, which they said was essential to deter future genocide and protect America’s credibility in speaking out against brutality in places like Darfur and Myanmar. It also was not lost on them that Mr. Bush was willing to risk upsetting China by honoring the Dalai Lama in a ceremony in the Capitol Rotunda in an expression of support for democracy and human rights. “As we take this principled moral stand in defiance of the Chinese government, we must similarly be willing to speak out on the Armenian genocide,” said a statement issued by the six chief sponsors of the House resolution. “If we as a nation are to be a moral leader around the world, we must have the courage to recognize genocide whenever and wherever it occurs.” One of those sponsors, Representative Adam B. Schiff, Democrat of California, acknowledged that the resolution had split Jewish lawmakers, with some backing the resolution and others pointing to the risk to Israel should Turkey’s role as a stabilizing force in the region be diminished. He said it would be tragic if Israel’s security became a rationale for not recognizing a case of genocide. “There is no nexus, but Turkey would like to make one,” he said. A group of House Democrats pointed more to Turkey’s continuing cooperation in the war in Iraq in urging Ms. Pelosi to refrain from scheduling any vote on the proposal, which they said would not pass in the current environment. “I’ve got the compassion for the people, the Armenians that are fighting for their ancestors,” said Representative Steve Cohen, a Tennessee Democrat who visited Iraq this month. “But these are real-life situations, and sometimes your heart has to give in to your head and do what makes sense for your country.” Other lawmakers questioned whether it was wise for Congress to pass judgment on the behavior of other nations when it had yet to weigh in on some of its own, like the treatment of American Indians in the settlement of the continent. “All the time when we won, it was a victory, and when they won, it was a massacre,” Representative Alcee L. Hastings, a Florida Democrat who opposes the genocide resolution, said of the Indians. “Yet they were the ones being chased all the way across the country, and no one has ever apologized to them.” Congress occasionally embarks on delicate historical issues with foreign policy implications. It did so this year when it approved a resolution calling for Japan to acknowledge using women from occupied territories as sex slaves during World War II. The vote angered Japanese officials, but their objections failed to persuade the House to drop the matter. Armenian-Americans saw parallels in the vote on the Japanese issue and the Armenian proposal, and they urged the House to move ahead. “It is shameful and hypocritical that the Bush administration would cede our moral authority in condemning genocide, thereby becoming an enabler in Turkey’s worldwide multimillion-dollar campaign of genocide denial,” said a statement from the Armenian National Committee of America, which painted Turkey as an unreliable ally. But opponents of the resolution said that if Turkey should be lost as a partner, any effort to bring the war in Iraq to a close could be greatly complicated. “This is not about Turkey, pro-Turkey or anti-Armenia, or vice versa,” said Representative John Tanner, Democrat of Tennessee. “From my perspective, it is about the United States being able to bring a swift — hopefully — resolution to this conflict in Iraq.” Mr. Schiff, who had appeared close to expecting House approval of the resolution after an initial victory in the Foreign Affairs Committee last week, seemed resigned that it now might not prevail in light of the push from the administration, Turkey’s government, lobbyists retained by Turkey and worried lawmakers. “We have the truth on our side,” Mr. Schiff said, “but the truth doesn’t always win.”

who cares? As long as it alligns with our interests, let them do it!

But, don't forget a similar resolution was passed in 2005 in the Foreign Relations Committee, so until it passes the House no serious impact is inflicted on Turkey

BREAKING NEWS AGAIN ON BBC: Turkey condemns US Armenia vote Turkish President Abdullah Gul Gul said the vote amounted to "domestic political games" The Turkish president has denounced a vote by a committee of the US Congress recognising as genocide the 1915 mass killings of Armenians by Ottoman Turks. President Abdullah Gul said the decision was unacceptable and had no validity for Turkey, which has always denied any genocide took place. The White House said it was very disappointed by the non-binding vote. It fears Turkey could now limit cooperation in the war on terror and provision of military bases near Iraq. The genocide bill passed in the House Foreign Affairs Committee by 27 votes to 21 - the first step towards holding a vote in the House of Representatives. President Bush had argued against a vote in favour of the bill, saying "its passage would do great harm to our relations with a key ally in Nato and in the global war on terror". Turkey is a regional operational hub for the US military, and some suggest access to Incirlik airbase, or other supply lines crucial to US forces in Iraq and Afghanistan, could be cut in response. 'Invalid' President Gul was quick to attack the vote late on Wednesday evening, saying that some US politicians had "closed their ears to calls to be reasonable and once again sought to sacrifice big problems for small domestic political games". Armenian girls holding torches Q&A: Armenian 'genocide' "This unacceptable decision of the committee, like similar ones in the past, is not regarded by the Turkish people as valid or of any value," Mr Gul said, according to the Anatolian news agency. The BBC's Sarah Rainsford in Istanbul says it is very unusual to hear such high-level political reaction so late at night from the Turkish government - a sign of how seriously it takes this. Meanwhile in Washington the US Undersecretary of State, Nicholas Burns, told the BBC that the Bush administration was "deeply disappointed". "The United States recognizes the immense suffering of the Armenian people due to mass killings and forced deportations at the end of the Ottoman Empire," he said. "We support a full and fair accounting of the atrocities that befell as many as 1.5m Armenians during World War I, which House Resolution 106 does not do." 'Sobering' Correspondents say Wednesday's result means that only a change of heart by the opposition Democrats, who control Congress, can now stop a full vote on the bill. Armenian refugee mother and child (picture taken 1915-16 by German photographer Armin Wegner; reproduced here by permission of the Armenian National Institute) A German soldier took photos of Armenian deportees at the time Divisions within the Foreign Affairs Committee crossed party lines with eight Democrats voting against the measure and eight Republicans voting for it. Tom Lantos, the committee's chairman, had opened the debate by admitting the resolution posed a "sobering" choice. "We have to weigh the desire to express our solidarity with the Armenian people... against the risk that it could cause young men and women in the uniform of the United States armed services to pay an even heavier price than they are currently paying," he said. Mr Lantos, himself a survivor of the Jewish Holocaust, said he would introduce a resolution praising US-Turkish friendship next week, according to AFP news agency. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee is expected to take up their version of the resolution in the future. Border concerns The controversy comes at a delicate time for relations between Turkey and the United States, our correspondent says. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has confirmed that the Turkish parliament could discuss a motion as soon as Thursday that would authorise cross border military incursions into northern Iraq to hunt down Kurdish PKK separatists. The move comes after an escalation in attacks by the PKK killed almost 30 soldiers and civilians in just over a week. Mr Erdogan said such authorisation, which would be valid for one year, would ensure all options were available to Turkey in its fight against the PKK. That includes sending troops into northern Iraq, where the prime minister said more than 3,000 PKK fighters are based. The government is under immense pressure though to act , but Washington has warned Ankara against any unilateral moves that would destabilise Iraq even further. After the Armenian vote in Congress, our correspondent says, Turkey will be far less inclined to heed instructions from the US on anything. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7038900.stm

WASHINGTON - A House panel defied President Bush on Wednesday and approved a measure that he said would damage U.S. goals in the Middle East. The measure that would recognize the World War I-era killings of Armenians as a genocide had been strongly opposed by Turkey, a key NATO ally that has supported U.S. efforts in Iraq. The House Foreign Affairs Committee's 27-21 vote now sends the measure to the House floor — unless the Democratic leadership reverses course and heeds Bush's warnings. At issue is the killing of up to 1.5 million Armenians by Ottoman Turks around the time of World War I. Turkey denies that the deaths constituted genocide, says the toll has been inflated and insists that those killed were victims of civil war and unrest. Bush and other senior officials made a last-minute push to persuade lawmakers on the Foreign Affairs Committee to reject the measure. "Its passage would do great harm to our relations with a key ally in NATO and in the global war on terror," Bush said hours before the vote. The committee's chairman, Democratic Rep. Tom Lantos, expressed concerns about security implications of the resolution but ultimately voted in favor. Turkey raised the possibility of impeding logistical and other U.S. military traffic now using Turkish airspace. "Unfortunately, some politicians in the United States have once again sacrificed important matters to petty domestic politics despite all calls to commonsense," President Abdullah Gul was quoted as saying by the state-run news agency Anatolia. "Naturally, this is a sad decision," said Nabi Sensoy, Turkey's ambassador to the U.S., minutes after the vote. "No one can allow others to put an undeserved stain on them." On Wednesday, hundreds of Turks marched to the U.S. Embassy in Ankara and the consulate in Istanbul to protest the bill. Armenian-American groups, who have worked for decades to pass a resolution, rejoiced at the committee's approval of the message. "The Foreign Affairs Committee's adoption today of the Armenian Genocide Resolution represents a meaningful step toward reclaiming our right_ as Americans — to speak openly and honestly about the first genocide of the 20th Century," said Aram Hamparian, executive director of the Armenian National Committee of America. Earlier, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Defense Secretary Robert Gates conveyed their concerns. Passing the measure "at this time would be very problematic for everything we are trying to do in the Middle East," Rice told reporters at the White House. The vote comes at a tense time in the region. Turkey's government is seeking parliamentary approval for a military operation to chase separatist Kurdish rebels who operate from bases in northern Iraq. The move, opposed by the U.S., could open a new front in the most stable part of Iraq. The White House and Turkey are now expected to pressure Democratic leaders to keep the measure from going to a vote. But Democratic Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi has signaled that they will have a hard sell. The administration made clear the stakes are high. Gates said 70 percent of U.S. air cargo headed for Iraq goes through Turkey, as does about one-third of the fuel used by the U.S. military in Iraq. "Access to airfields and to the roads and so on in Turkey would very much be put at risk if this resolution passes and Turkey reacts as strongly as we believe they will," Gates said. He also said that 95 percent of new vehicles designed to better protect against mine attacks are being flown through Turkey to get to Iraq. Lawmakers from both parties who supported the proposal said the moral implications outweighed security concerns and friendship with Turkey. "The sad truth is that the modern government of Turkey refuses to come to terms with this genocide," said Rep. Chris Smith, R.-N.J. "For Armenians everywhere, the Turkish government's denial is a slap in the face." Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff, the resolution's sponsor, who is not on the committee, said that he hoped that it would now move quickly to a vote on the House floor. "America must speak candidly about the past not only to help heal the wounds of the survivors and the families of the victims, but to give the United States the moral authority it needs to take action against other genocides like that taking place today in Darfur," he said following the vote. Pelosi and the second-ranking Democrat in the House, Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, met Wednesday with Turkish Ambassador Sensoy but emerged from the meeting unswayed. Hoyer told reporters he expects a floor vote on the measure before the House adjourns for the year. Hoyer said he hoped that Turkey would realize it is not a condemnation of its current government but rather of "another government, at another time." http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071011/ap_on_...rmenia_genocide

WASHINGTON, DC – The House Foreign Affairs Committee is set to mark up the Armenian Genocide Resolution (H.Res.106) on Wednesday, October 10th, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA.) Committee discussion and adoption of the resolution will set the stage for subsequent full House consideration of the key human rights measure. Armenian American activists are encouraged to voice their support for the Armenian Genocide resolution by participating in the ongoing ANCA Congressional Call-In Campaign by visiting: http://capwiz.com/anca/callalert/index.tt?...906&type=TA The Committee discussion and vote will be webcast live at http://foreignaffairs.house.gov/index.asp?subnav=close . The specific time of the Committee meeting is yet to be announced.

Actually they discovered the dynamite in 1996

Part 1: Part 2: Part 3: Part 4: Who is this Murad Topalian, anyone know?

Monday, August 27, 2007 Anti-Defamation League rehires New England director By Keith O'Brien, Globe Staff www.boston.com/news/globe The national Anti-Defamation League rehired its New England regional director today, barely a week after firing him for publicly breaking with the national leadership and acknowledging the Armenian genocide that began in 1915. The move to rehire Andrew H. Tarsy as regional director marked the second time in a week that the human rights organization has reversed course under pressure from the Jewish and Armenian-American communities. But Abraham H. Foxman, the ADL's national director, said he did not rehire Tarsy simply to appease critics. What mattered, Foxman said in an interview with the Globe today, was that the two men "see eye to eye." Tarsy was rehired, effective immediately, after conversations held over the last week. Both men said they are now moving forward together, rather than apart, and were happy to put their public rift behind them. "Andy's back," Foxman said, sitting next to Tarsy today in a waterfront office in Boston. "Andy and I talked. And after our conversation, I decided to take him back, to reinstate him. And I'm delighted he's back." The two declined to say what exactly they had discussed leading up to today's decision. But key to the process was clearly the regional board's unanimous request that Foxman rehire Tarsy and Foxman's decision last week to acknowledge after decades of refusal the genocide of Armenians at the hands of Ottoman Turks between 1915 and 1923. In a statement last week, Foxman said what had happened to Armenians was "tantamount to genocide" despite his refusal to say so before. Tarsy, 38, said Foxman's decision to acknowledge that made him "proud" and helped pave the way for his return. "The ADL has confronted the moral issue and acknowledged the genocide and I think that is something that speaks for itself," Tarsy said yesterday. "I'm ready to move on. I'm glad to be back."

Yeap, they finally recognized it http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3440382,00.html

http://www.hairenik.com/HairenikTV/HA_TV_Clip98.htm

good politician and a possible candidate for president?

yeah, I think the reply video was pretty weak

Here is ANCA's reply video: http://www.anca.org/press_releases/press_r...s.php?prid=1233

Over $13 million since 2000!

http://www.chbn.com/Clip.aspx?key=DAA8AC59EFDBF2EE

It seems like more and more I discover people from Iran with "ian" last names, but it is not clear if they are in fact Armenian. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6897509.stm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kia_Joorabchian

Cuneyd Zapsu, a top adviser to Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, lobbied against an Armenian Genocide bill pending in Congress during talks in February with Nancy Pelosi, Democratic Speaker of the House of Representatives, a meeting that had been keep secret until now, the Turkish Daily News reports. Richard Holbrooke, a Democrat and a former top diplomat, arranged and attended the meeting, one source said. Holbrooke is known for his role in putting an end to the war in Bosnia as assistant state of secretary in former President Bill Clinton's Administration. Zapsu voiced the Ankara government's concerns over the resolution, saying its passage by the House would seriously hurt bilateral ties with Turkey, said the source. The Pelosi-Zapsu meeting took place shortly after Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul also visited the US capital in early February. But neither Gul nor three Turkish parliamentary teams visiting Washington one after another to lobby against the bill had talks with the House Speaker.

lav, ekek beraneris lopaz chi bacenk, es 90 tvakaneri chen, chi gites arten inch klini ete krivi sksi