Asbarez.com news room 07-25-2000

[Guest]

1. Britain's Blair Urged to Recognize Genocide

 

LONDON--A group of Parliamentarians from both Houses of Parliament will be presenting a

Petition to British Prime Minister Tony Blair Wednesday at 10 Downing Street, calling on

the British

Government to recognize , as a case of genocide , the mass-killings of Armenians in the

Ottoman

Empire in 1915.

 

It is the first time that Members of Parliament are handing petitions , supporting the

application and

advocating on behalf of the a British-Armenian group and it is the first time that petitions

will be

received by the Prime Minister .

 

The Petition is signed by 57 Parliamentarians and thousands of British citizens, among

them artists,

bankers historians, scholars , businessmen and teachers. The British, Armenian and

international

media have been invited to report. A letter , drafted by the Members of the Advisory

Board (

historians and holocaust experts invited by the Group ) , will accompany the petitions.

 

This presentation, following the magnificent "Requiem Service to commemorate the

victims of the

Genocide" at St. Margaret`s Church, Westminster on May 8, has been organized by the

British-Armenian All-Party Parliamentary Group and the Parliamentarians attending the

presentation

are Members of the Group.

 

Meanwhile, during what is termed an "Early Day Motion" parliament member Jane Griffiths

and a

written question by Lord Walpole have been presented to the government , in both

Houses, urging

the government to recognize the Genocide.

 

The BAAPPG was founded in 1992 by the Earl of Shannon and Odette Bazil and Dr. Armen

Sarkissian, its founding President, who was unanimously elected life-president on May 4.

 

At the Group's initiative, the corresponding Group, namely the Armenian-British

Parliamentary

Group has been founded in Yerevan within the Armenian Parliament.

 

The Group ( the largest among Parliamentary Groups of the former Soviet Union ) has 31

Members

at the House of Commons , 27 Peers at the House of Lords and "Friends" (

non-Parliamentarians)

who help with their financial contribution. Its objective is to encourage two way flow of

information

between the UK and Armenia in Parliamentary activities , to foster friendship and

understanding at

the highest level between UK and Armenia, to lay the foundation for long term

cooperation between

the two countries , which will assist in the development of a stable democratic system in

Armenia, to

organize debates in both Houses of Parliament , where important political , military ,

judicial ,

economic , religious and educational issues concerning Armenia can be discussed and

where

influence can be exerted , through majority support, over beneficiary changes of

governmental

policies towards Armenia.

 

The Group has organized exchange visits of Parliamentary Delegations, talks by eminent

speakers,

debates in both Houses, concerning Artsax, double-taxation between Britain and

Armenia, arms

sale to Azerbaijan, British mercenaries enrollment in Azerbaijan, exchange of POWs ,

bilateral

relations with Turkey, Armenia's membership in the European Union, the blockades

imposed by

Turkey and Azerbaijan, the recognition of the Armenian Genocide, the lobbying for British

Embassy

to open in Armenia and British Council's presence in Armenia.

 

Round-table discussions have been held to discuss the oil routes, the Transcaucasus,

land-mines in

Artsax, the British government's policies vis-à-vis Armenia and the recognition of the

Armenian

Genocide.

 

The Group has organized meetings and receptions in honor of visiting Armenian

dignitaries, and

addresses in the Houses of Parliament, where they have put forward the views of their

government.

 

With the support of its Parliamentary members , the BAAPPG has been the stepping stone

for the

launch, in Armenia, of the English-speaking Union, the Byron Society of Armenia, the

signing of the

"Friendship Agreement between Gumri and Hucknall" and the training visit of Armenian

civil servants

of the Ministry of Social Services

 

The group has been able to issue monthly circulars to its Members and keep them well

informed of

the situation in Armenia and Artsax.

 

2. AADLC Endorses Schiff for 27th Congressional District

 

* AADLC announces Schiff endorsement while Rogan's Republican leaders in the House

continue to

oppose Armenian Genocide bill.

 

FALLS CHURCH, Va.--The Armenian American Democratic Leadership Council (AADLC)

today

announced its endorsement of Adam Schiff in the race for California's 27th Congressional

District.

The AADLC is the largest national organization representing the interests of Armenian

American

Democrats throughout the nation and is committed to helping the Democrats take back

the

leadership of the House of Representatives and Senate this coming November.

 

Adam Schiff's commitment to the core values and concerns of the Armenian-American

community

make him the natural choice for all Armenian-American voters going to the polls in

California's 27th

Congressional District this fall. Throughout his impressive career as a State Senator,

Adam Schiff has

distinguished himself as an energetic leader on a range of issues-from recognition of the

Armenian

Genocide to expanding California's economic relations with Armenia.

 

For the voters of Armenian descent in California's 27th Congressional District the choice

for Adam

Schiff is especially clear because of his strong understanding of both the local, national

and

international concerns of the close to 100,000 Armenian-Americans in the 27th District;

 

* Adam Schiff secured $500,000 in 1999 for a state-funded documentary on the

Armenian

Genocide.

 

* Adam Schiff has consistently led efforts to help promote trade relations and expand

economic ties

between companies in California and Armenia.

 

* Adam Schiff has played a principal role in affirming the historical fact of the Armenian

Genocide.

 

* Adam Schiff is committed to directing federal resources into local schools to improve

standards

and ensure that every student is learning in a safe and positive environment.

 

* Adam Schiff has a proven record as a leader in addressing youth violence issues and

will bring his

know-how to help the 107th Congress tackle one of the most pressing issues facing the

people of

the 27th district.

 

* Adam Schiff has been a major advocate for maintaining affordable housing for

low-income

residents of the 27th District.

 

"Adam Schiff will be a Congressman all Armenian-Americans can be proud of," said AADLC

Executive Director Alex Sardar. "He has earned the support and confidence of so many

Armenian-Americans because of his unbending determination to represent the hopes and

dream of

the Armenian-American community, and he has been one of only a few legislators, who

have

become advocates and not mere representatives of this community." he added.

 

"With Jim Rogan's Deputy Chief of Staff David Silverstein recently attending a gala

banquet in honor

of Turkey in Washington and with the Republican Speaker of the House just this week

hiring a

former lobbyist for Azerbaijan as his chief foreign affairs aide, a vote for Adam Schiff is

the clear

choice for Armenian-Americans this November," Sardar concluded.

 

Unlike his opponent, who is closely linked to a Republican leadership team in the House

that has

consistently opposed efforts to honor the memory of the 1.5 million martyrs of the

Armenian

Genocide, Adam Schiff's election to Congress will lead to a productive alliance with the

many

pro-Armenian legislators among the House Democratic leadership. Working with a

potential

leadership team of Dick Gephardt and David Bonior, Adam Schiff will have the opportunity

to take

the kind of dedication he has shown in fighting for his constituents to the federal level

and continue to

advocate for real change and progress for California's 27th Congressional District and the

largest

Armenian-American constituency anywhere in the United States.

 

The 27th Congressional District includes the cities of Altadena, Burbank, Glendale, La

Canada, La

Crescenta, Montrose, Pasadena, San Marino, South Pasadena, Sunland, and Tujunga.

 

The AADLC works with the Democratic National Committee to foster support within the

Armenian

American community for the Democratic Party and national Democratic office holders,

while

promoting the election of Armenian American Democrats to political office and

encouraging

participation by Armenian American Democrats at all levels of the public policy process.

 

3. Bill on Privatization of Electricity Distributing Companies Presented

 

YEREVAN (Noyan Tapan)--The privatization of electricity distributing companies will allow

Armenia to become a permanent electricity supplier in the region, stimulate production

and lower the

risk for foreign importers, Minister of Energy Karen Galustian said at a special Parliament

meeting

Monday.

 

Presenting the bill on the privatization of electricity distributing companies, the minister

stated that the

privatization will ensure 100 percent collection of payments for electricity.

 

According to Galustian, the residual value of the energy sector, considering the

estimated

depreciation in 1999, is $203 million. The privatization contract provides for investments

totaling

$160,000,000 within five years, which will be stipulated in a business program to be

presented to

strategic investors by the government. The minister also pointed out that if payments for

electricity

are regularly collected, maintenance and other problems including budget allocations and

taxes,

would be possible to solve. But even in this case additional funds for capital investments

will be

impossible to receive. The system needs new equipment and introduction of new

technology.

 

The minister said that the real level of collected electricity payments is 60 percent with

supernormative losses exclusive and 71 percent with supernormative losses inclusive. The

volume of

payments will be raised due to the lowering of supernormative losses. First, strategic

investors are

interested in it as they are to pay 100 percent of the cost of the used energy to

Armenergo, which,

Galustian said, is possible to carry out in several directions: restructuring of enterprises

and

investments, due to which the human factor will be minimized in collecting payments.

 

The minister also explained that the credits issued by the World Bank ($21,000,000) and

by the

State Development Fund of Japan ($45,000,000) have not yet been disbursed. The

relevant

agreements were ratified by the Armenian National Assembly last August. 60 percent of

the funds

are to be channeled to re-equip high and low voltage networks, and after the decision on

privatization of low-voltage distributing networks was made, it was decided to channel all

the credits

to the modernization of high-voltage networks. The government is currently conducting

negotiations

with creditors over the matter.

 

4. Lebanon Vote Proves Schismatic for Hunchaks

 

BEIRUT--As Lebanon prepares for parliamentary elections, the issue of the Armenian

community's

slate of candidates has become an important issue for the community, as it wishes to

emerge as a

united bloc, in order to better represent the Lebanese-Armenian community interests.

 

In this realm, the Lebanon Executive Body of the Social-Democratic Hunchakian party

issued an

statement recently, announcing that Yeghia Djeredjian was the party's candidate of

choice from the

central Beirut electoral district. This information was carried by several non-Armenian

Lebanese

newspapers on Sunday July 16.

 

Following this announcement the Lebanon Executive Body issued yet another statement,

announcing

that Djeredjian was not the candidate of choice in the said district. The statement also

urged the local

press to check their facts with the only reliable source--the Lebanon Executive

Body--prior to

reporting.

 

Independent of this decision, the Social-Democratic Hunchakian party Central Executive

(international governing body), issued an announcement on July 15 urging the emergence

of a united

Armenian front for the elections, taking into consideration the interests of Lebanon.

 

The July 15 announcement also urged the community to rally behind the said united

front, to ensure

the proper representation of Armenian interests and to ward off elements that wish to

create divisions

based on personal or peripheral interests.

 

In conclusion, the Hunchakian party Central Executive informed the community that an

announcement about the list of candidates would emanate from the Lebanon Executive

Body.

 

In this realm, the Central Executive of the Hunchakian party issued another statement on

July 20,

announcing that it has dissolved its Lebanon Executive Body, under the leadership of

Sebouh

Kalpakian, and has appointed a new Body which is the sole entity which governs party

operations in

Lebanon.

 

5. Draft Agreement on Military Bases Approved

 

YEREVAN (Armenpress)—The Russian government has approved a draft protocol between

the

Russian and Armenian governments on changes and additions to the September 1996

agreement.

The agreement lists the points of deployment of the Russian military base in Armenia and

procedure

for the transfer and use of plots of land for the deployment and functioning of the

Russian military

base. Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov signed the agreement, July 11.

 

The draft protocol was submitted by the Russian Ministry of Defense and accepted with

the help of

the Russian ministries of foreign affairs and justice. The decision of the Russian Defense

Ministry

states that negotiations should be held with Armenia and that the protocol should be

signed on behalf

of the Russian government after an agreement is reached. During this process, changes

and

amendments may be made to the proposed draft.

 

In accordance with the protocol, the two governments have agreed that the points of

deployment to

the Russian military base as per the appendix to the agreement, is invalid. The list of

points of

deployment as defined by the protocol will beocme provisionally valid from the date of

signing.

 

6. Prosecutors Call Babayan's Hunger-Strike Provocation

 

STEPANAKERT (Noyan Tapan)—The Nagorno Artsax Republic Prosecutor General's

Office

issued a statement Monday, in connection with Samvel Babayan's hunger-strike.

 

The Nagorno Artsax Republic Prosecutor's Office considers the hunger-strike a demand

that the

case be brought to a Yerevan court, so that forensic experts can examine whether

violence had

actually been used against him.

 

The Prosecutor General's Office denies the allegations of violence against Babayan

referring to the

results of recent forensic-medical examinations. The examination took place during the

preliminary

investigation with the participation of experts from Stepanakert and Yerevan.

 

The statement mentions that Babayan, since the moment of his detention, has been kept

in the

isolation ward of the State Department on National Security where all the rights

stipulated by the law

are guaranteed.

 

7. State Ensemble of Artsax Tours Foreign Countries

 

STEPANAKERT (Noyan Tapan)—Recently, the Nagorno Artsax Republic State Folk Song

and Dance Ensemble returned from a six-week tour in Georgia, Ossetia and a number of

towns in

Russia. The ensemble presented its new program to the foreign audiences.

 

The Ensemble, along with Russian groups, participated in a concert dedicated to the

Russian

Federation Independence Day in Samara at the Festival of Culture of the Privolzhye

Peoples in

Lipetsk. The Ensemble was awarded a Diploma. The songs of Sayat-Nova were performed

in

Georgian for the Tbilisi audience. An agreement on establishing cultural ties and

organizing mutual

tours was also reached with the Ministry of Culture of Ossetia.

 

According to the manager of the Ensemble, Ashot Babayan, a new quality of performing

was

achieved through inviting young gifted artists to the Ensemble.

 

In September-October 2000, the Nagorno Artsax Republic State Folk Song and Dance

Ensemble plan to go on tour to Abkhazia and towns situated around the Black Sea coast.

 

8. Karekin II Visits Shirak Diocese in Gumri

 

ECHMIADZIN (Noyan Tapan)—His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of

All

Armenians, began his first pontifical visit to the Diocese of Shirak, Tuesday.

 

On the frontier of the Shirak Diocese His Holiness was met and welcomed by Felix

Piroumian, the

Regional Governor of the Shirak Region, Vardan Goukassian, the Mayor of Gumri;

Archimandrite

Mikayel Ajapahian, the Vicar General of the Shirak Diocese, accompanied by the diocesan

clergy

and regional and municipal authorities' representatives.

 

Historical Gumri being the first place to visit, His Holiness, solemnly entered the diocesan

headquarters Church of Yotverk St. Asdvadzadzin, singing hymns. Dozens of people were

awaiting

his arrival and his words of blessing. His Holiness welcomed the people present, among

whom were

regional and municipal authorities, His Eminence Archbishop Nerses Nersissian, and the

Spiritual

Head of the Armenian Catholic Community of Armenia, Georgia and Eastern Europe.

Archimandrite

Mikayel Ajapahian mentioned in his speech that this first pontifical visit of His Holiness to

a diocese

inside Armenia is a sign of appreciation of Gumri's pious people and their undeniable faith.

 

"It is true that during the past decades the greater part of our people's tortures, pains

and

experiences became the share of Gumri's people, our faithful flock of the Shirak Diocese.

We give

glory and thanks to God that during those years Gumri's people's faith did not weaken.

The best

proof of it We witnessed in this Church, We witnessed your warm faith that is

exceptional devotion,"

said His Holiness upon seeing the people's enthusiasm and the warm manifestation of

faith. His

Holiness welcomed and gave his pastoral benediction and blessing to the people,

exhorting them to

remain unshaken in their ancestors' sacred faith and traditions.

 

During the first day of the visit, His Holiness, together with the clergy accompanying him

and the

Vicar General of Shirak Diocese, visited the site of the construction of a new church in

the Ani

district and became acquainted with the course of the construction works.

 

9. Markossian Appointed Chairman of Council for Religious Affairs

 

YEREVAN (Noyan Tapan)—Under Prime Minister Andranik Margarian's decree, Razmik

Markossian has been appointed Chairman of the Government's State Council for Religious

Affairs,

the Government's Press Service told Noyan Tapan.

 

10. Ghoukassian, Danielian Discuss Domestic Issues

 

YEREVAN (Noyan Tapan)—Nagorno Artsax Republic President Arkady Ghoukassian met

with the Republic's Prime Minister Anushavan Danielian Monday. The Prime Minister told

Ghoukassian about the results of the meetings he held during his recent working visit to

Yerevan.

 

Among the issues discussed were ways of improving the socio-economic situation in the

Republic,

creating the optimal tax regime, and strengthening domestic stability.

 

These issues were considered at a meeting of the Nagorno Artsax Republic Security

Council,

which took place the same day under the chairmanship of Arkady Ghoukassian.