LOUSSAPATZ - THE DAWN - 33-ՐԴ ՏԱՐԻ, ԹԻՒ 1022 ՇԱԲԱԹ, 1 ՄԱՐՏ 2014

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Þ2ðÈ 21⁄4Ü2ôàôð – CHARLES AZNAVOUR (1924) ÌÝÝ1»3Ý 90-3Ù»3Ï

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TURKEY’S HUMAN RIGHTS ASSOCIATION DISAPPOINTED WITH ECHR DECISION

PanARMENIAN.Net -- The Human Rights Association (HRA) in Tur- key issued a letter addressed to the Swiss Minister of Justice, expressing the organization’s disappointment with the decision of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) on Armenian Genocide denial.

“As human rights defenders in Turkey, we are the most immediate, most direct witnesses of how the denial of the genocide against Armenians and other Christian ethnic groups of Asia Minor has right from the start generated an anti-democratic system, allowing racist hatred, hate crimes and violation of the freedom of expression and the human rights in general,” argued HRA in a copy of the letter received by the Armenian Weekly.

HRA said: “In the name of human rights, of the struggle against racist hatred and of justice in Turkey and elsewhere, we would like to express our belief that the Swiss Court’s decision to penalize Doğu Perinçek’s denialism was a step to protect us all, the entire humanity against racism, and our heartfelt support to Swiss Court’s exercising its right to appeal against the ECHR decision dated Dec 17, 2013.

99TH ANNIVERSARY COMMEMORATION OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE TO BE HELD IN TIMES SQUARE SUNDAY, APRIL 27, 2014 HOLOCAUST REMEMBRANCE DAY WILL ALSO BE HONORED

NEW YORK -- On Sunday, April 27, 2014 from 2-4 pm, thousands of devoted Armenian- Americans and their friends and supporters will gather in Times Square (43rd St. & Broadway) to commemorate the first genocide of the 20th Cen- tury, The Armenian Genocide (Medz Yeghern). In recognition of Genocide Awareness Month (April), Holocaust Remembrance Day (Yom HaShoah) will also be commemorated, as well as other genocides that have occurred since then.

The theme of the Armenian Genocide Commemoration is “Turkey is Guilty of Geno- cide: Denying the Undeniable is a Crime.” This historic event will pay tribute to the 1.5 million

Armenians who were annihilated by the Young Turk Government of the Ottoman Empire and to the millions of victims of subsequent genocides worldwide. Speakers will include civic, religious, humanitarian, educational, cul- tural leaders, as well as performing artists. This event is free and open to the public. Dr. Mary A. Papazian, Presi- dent of Southern Connecticut State University and Attorney R. Armen McOmber will preside over the ceremonies.

Papazian headed the Armenian Assembly of America in 1975, when a non-binding resolution recognizing the mass killings as genocide, passed through Congress. On April 22, 1981, then-President Ronald Reagan issued Proc- lamation #4838 that summoned Americans to commemorate the anniversary of the liberation of the Nazi death camps. The proclamation stated, “Like the genocide of the Armenians before it, and the genocide of the Cambodi- ans which followed it—and like too many other persecutions of too many other peoples—the lessons of the Holo- caust must never be forgotten.”

Papazian further discusses that President Barack Obama used the Armenian phrase Medz Yeghern, which is the equivalent of the phrase genocide in the Armenian language, in a statement issued to commemorate Armenian Remembrance Day on April 24, 2013. “But still the U.S. position is still kept ambiguous about using the word gen- ocide because our country fears alienating Turkey, an important country in the Middle East,” he adds.

“In the long run, Turkish recognition of the Armenian Genocide is critical, since Turkey is the responsible

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successive government of the Ottoman Empire,” stresses Papazian. “In recent years there have been some positive developments among progressive Turkish intellectuals, including the grandson of one of the chief perpetrators; therefore, it is within the realm of possibility that Turkey itself will recognize the Armenian Genocide on the one hundredth anniversary of its beginning,” he concludes.

The 99th Commemoration is organized by the Mid-Atlantic chapters of the Knights & Daughters of Vartan (www.kofv.org), an international Armenian fraternal organization headquartered in the United States, and co- sponsored by the Armenian General Benevolent Union (www.agbu.org), the Armenian Assembly of America (www.aaainc.org), the Armenian National Committee of America ( www.anca.org), the Armenian Council of America and the Armenian Democratic League (Ramgavar Party).

Participating organizations include the Diocese of the Armenian Church of America, Prelacy of the Armenian Church of America, Armenian Missionary Association of America, Armenian Catholic Eparchy for U.S. and Cana- da, the Armenian Church Youth Organization of America (ACYOA), the Armenian Youth Federation (AYF- YOARF), several Armenian youth organizations, and university and college Armenian clubs.

YOUNG ARGENTINE-ARMENIANS PROTEST IN FRONT OF AZERI EMBASSY

PanARMENIAN.Net -- A group of young Argentine-Armenians at- tended Monday, Feb 24, the embassy of Azerbaijan in Argentina to deliver a letter to Azeri diplomats, who were conducting a seminar entitled "The resolution of the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan and its implica- tions for the region".

“We write to inform our strongest condemnation of the conference that is currently taking place at the embassy of Azerbaijan in Argentina. Since its establishment in the City of Buenos Aires, the Embassy has re- peatedly conducted meetings that aim to distort the Caucasian history, re- peating the racist and anti-Armenian speech that the government of Ilham Aliyev maintains in actions and statements,” said the letter, the Azeri diplomats refused to accept, according to Agencia Prensa Armenia.

The seminar was held two days prior the rally to commemorate the 26th anniversary of the Sumgait pogroms. “This seminar is a provocation. It gives us more strength to continue our fight,” one of the protesters said.

SUMGAIT POGROMS, SLAIN ARMENIAN OFFICER COMMEMORATED IN LONDON

PanARMENIAN.Net -- About 50 people gathered at Trafalgar Square in London on Sunday, Feb 23, to commemorate the 26th an- niversary of the Sumgait pogroms and the 10th anniversary of the murder of Armenian lieutenant Gurgen Margaryan.

The event was organized by Armenian Youth Federation and University College London - Armenian Society, Russell Pollard, an English photojournalist, writer and founder of Artsakh.org.uk website told PanARMENIAN.Net

Lieutenant of the Armenian Armed Forces Gurgen Margaryan, 26, was hacked to death, while asleep, by a fellow Azerbaijani partic- ipant, lieutenant Ramil Safarov, in Budapest during a three-month English language course in the framework of NATO-sponsored Partnership for Peace program.

On April 13, 2006, Budapest District Court sentenced Safarov to life in prison for murdering Margaryan. On February 22, 2007, Budapest Court rejected the Azerbaijani military officer's appeal against the verdict, precluding possibility of pardon for the initial 30 years.

In August, 2012, Safarov was inexplicably extradited back to Azerbaijan, where he was given a hero's wel- come by President Ilham Aliyev, in addition to financial compensation and a promotion in military rank.

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“Trafalgar Square is a very popular place on a Sunday - leaflets were handed out to people passing by - on Sumgait, and the murder of Lt Margaryan. Event held last year as well for the 25th anniversary of Sumgait,” Mr. Pollard said.

Organized anti-Armenian violence - aimed at killing and driving Armenians from their homes - began on the evening of February 27, 1988 in Sumgait, Azerbaijan, and within hours, turned into a series of well-documented pogroms during which Sumgait’s Christian Armenian residents were indiscriminately murdered, raped, and maimed by Azerbaijani rioters.

PROPAGANDA EFFORTS OF AZERBAIJAN IN ITALY DO NOT PROVE THEIR VALUE

Armenian Embassy in Italy actively opposes the anti-Armenian policy of Azerbaijan in the Italian press and the civil society of Italy.

In particular, the Armenian Embassy in Italy has addressed to the editorial-office of “Agenzia Radicale” and “Notizie Geopolitiche” publications demanding explanations about published materials concerning the Aghdam events of 1992.

In response the two editorial-offices published the comment received from the Armenian Embassy which can be found here and here.

Through the Italian media the Armenian diplomats, in their comment, have expressed their solidarity with 35 thousand Armenians and Azerbaijanis, who have become victims of the conflict "because of the silence of the in- ternational community."

Noting that the articles of the Italian authors, that reflect a distorted view about the Karabakh conflict, may be the result of delusion or lack of knowledge, the Armenian side provided series of necessary explanations.

It is noted in particular that some media have spread information provided by the ruling regime of Azerbaijan, which according to the rating of "Reporters without Borders" organization is ranked the 160th in media freedom among 180 countries, and 139th in political and economic freedoms’ index.

As for the factual inconsistencies, the Armenian Embassy focused on the following: "First of all, the definition of the conflict as "clashes between Armenia and Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh's sovereignty issue" is mis- leading. In fact, the main reason for the conflict was the deviation of self-determination of the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh by the authorities of the Soviet Socialist Republics Union," the comment reads.

As for the victims among the civilian population of Khojalu, the comment reads, "we should admit that the phrase "Azerbaijani civilians were killed by Armenian troops" is irrelevant, which is proved by the evidences found in numerous Azerbaijani sources and with some Western journalists working in the Caucasus in early 90s."

"The experts involved in the study of this conflict, know quite well that for the Azerbaijani Armed Forces Khojalu served a firing-post in direction of Armenian civilians by rockets GRAD. A few days before the 25th Feb- ruary 1992 the headquarters of the Armenian self-defense forces of Nagorno Karabakh informed the Azerbaijani authorities and the civilian population by radio about the inevitability of military operations needed for the neutrali- zation of the missile base, and about the humanitarian corridor left for the evacuation of the civilian population," the comment reads.

Referring to Azerbaijani sources, the authors of the address noted that Khojalu resident Salman Abbasov con- firms the fact of dissemination of the warning-information by the radio about the coming attack, and that the local authorities had banned to evacuate the residents.

The address also notes that the civilian population served for the Azerbaijani authorities a human shield pro- tecting the missile base.

In this regard an excerpt from an interview with former Azerbaijani President Ayaz Mutalibov is presented, where he, in fact, confirms the fact that the incident was organized by the Azerbaijani opposition in order to over- throw Mutalibov.

It should be noted that during the last years in the Italian media articles containing one-sided information about the Nagorno Karabakh conflict have increased. Experts attribute this fact to the presence of close cooperation of Azerbaijan and Italy in the energy area. In particular, Italy is one of the main importers of Azerbaijani oil, and soon it will become the main consumer of Azerbaijani gas that is being exported to Europe.

Source: Panorama.am

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KARABAKH AND FRENCH CITIES SIGN FRIENDSHIP DECLARATION

STEPANAKERT/NEWS.am -- A Declaration of Friendship was signed, on February 21, between the cities of Hadrut, Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR; or Artsakh), and Vienne, France.

The official ceremony took place at Vienne City Hall, informs the NKR Ministry of Foreign Affairs press service.

On behalf of Hadrut, the declaration was signed by NKR Minister of Culture and Youth Affairs Narine Aghabalyan, who was in France on a working visit, and on behalf of Vienne, by Mayor Jacques Remiller.

The declaration welcomes the consistent steps of the people and leader- ship of Nagorno-Karabakh aimed at the creation and development of a free and democratic society, and considers the isolation of the people of Artsakh unacceptable. It is to develop friendly relations between the two cities and boost cooperation in the educational, cultural, sports, and several other do-

mains. In 2013, friendly relations were also established between the NKR city of Martuni and the French city of Les

Pennes-Mirabeau, and mutual visits took place, and the ways and forms of expanding cooperation between the towns are discussed.

GREEK PARLIAMENT SPEAKER HONORS MEMORY OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE VICTIMS

YEREVAN — A delegation headed by the President of the Greece Parliament, Mr. Vangelis Meimarakis visit- ed the Tsitsernakaberd Memorial Complex on February 25. The Greek Parliament Speaker laid a wreath at the monument. The members of the delegation put flowers at the Eternal Fire and honored the memory of the innocent victims with a minute of silence.

At the end of the visit President of the Hellenic Par- liament planted a fir in the Memorial Alley of Tsitserna- kaberd Complex.

The Parliament of Greece passed a resolution on the recognition and condemnation of the Armenian Genocide on April 25 1996.

More than 2 dozen countries, the European Parliament and the World Council of Churches, as well as interna- tional other organizations recognized the Armenian Genocide which is regarded as the first genocide of the 20th century.

ARMENIA SHOULD WORK MORE INTELLIGENTLY AHEAD OF GENOCIDE’S 100TH ANNIVERSARY – ANALYST

YEREVAN/NEWS.am -- Armenia and the Armenian diaspora need to work ac- tively, but also intelligently.

Noravank Analytical Center Director Gagik Harutyunyan stated the above-said at a press conference on Friday, as a spoke about the forthcoming centennial of the Armenian Genocide.

He stressed that Armenia has set up a state commission on the 100th anniversary of the genocide.

“Certain steps are taken, but I don’t know whether or not they are sufficient. I

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believe that although Turkey has changed its strategy, we are guided by the old one by solely raising the matter of genocide recognition,” the analyst added.

As per Harutyunyan, the Armenian diaspora is united on genocide, yet it does not work toward founding think tanks.

“Armenia deals with a more developed Turkey, as compared to the previous period. Turkey spends a lot of money on education and establishment of think tanks, which are already used when fighting against recognition of the Armenian Genocide,” the analyst maintained.

Gagik Harutyunyan added that a conference is planned, during which the participants will discuss the Turkish- Azerbaijani lobby in various countries.

AZERI-SPONSORED SPANISH FOOTBALLERS FAIL TO COMMEMORATE “KHOJALU VICTIMS”

PanARMENIAN.Net -- Recently, Azeri media reported that Spanish football club Atletico Madrid will wear black armbands in commemora- tion of "Khojalu genocide victims" in La Liga matches against Osasuna and Real Madrid.

Also, the reports claimed, Turkish midfielder Arda Turan along with his Atletico Madrid teammates will feature in a video "condemning the Khojalu genocide" and supporting peace globally.

In 2012, Atletico Madrid announced to have signed a “strategic agreement” with Azerbaijan. The €12 million agreement saw the coun- try’s tourism motto - ‘Azerbaijan – Land of Fire’ - emblazoned on the

front of Atletico’s playing jerseys until the end of the 2013/14 La Liga season. However, according to Haqqin.az, Atletico players wore no armbands during La Liga matches, nor were the

"Khojalu genocide victims" commemorated with a minute of silence. Azeri media went on to accuse Baku FC president Hafiz Mammadov who could “obligate Atletico to show re-

spect to the memories of “victims”.” “Seems like the multimillion dollar contract would be enough of a reason for that,” the media said, slamming

Mammadov for “spending millions on footballers’ jerseys, while unable to force the club to respect his country.”

GRAVE OF MASSACRED ARMENIANS DISCOVERED IN TURKEY

NEWS.am -- Information was disseminated in Turkish press some time ago that a large number of human bones were found in the ditches of historical Zerzevan Fortress, which is located between Diyarbakir and Mardin Provinces in Turkey.

Even though the Turkish press immediately began writing that these were the bones of serial killing victims of the 1990s, it was impossible to hide the truth in the end.

Diyarbakir office of the Human Rights Association of Turkey followed the forensic examination of the bones, and found out that these bones date back much earlier than the 1990s. In addition, Zerzevan Fortress does not exist on the maps of the graves of the serial killings of the 1990s.

The real owners of these bones become known when we look into the stories about the massacres that occurred in 1915 in the Diyarbakir area; and these stories mention that

Zerzevan Fortress was used as a place for the massacring of the local Armenians. It is known that solely one Armenian had managed to survive the massacres in Zerzevan; this Armenian was

injured yet managed to come out of the ditch and told the experiences only to close relatives.

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TURKISH PROVINCIAL OFFICIAL VISITS ARMENIAN FAMILIES

NEWS.am -- Cihat Arik, the kaimakam (official charged with governing a provincial district) of Sason region of Turkey’s Batman Province, paid a visit to the Armenian families living in Calisirlar vil- lage.

Accompanied by the prefect of Calisirlar village, Arik and the re- gion’s mufti (official learned in Islamic law who is in charge of Islamic affairs for a province or district) visited the Armenian families living in the village, reports Anadolu news agency of Turkey.

The kaimakam later informed that he met with around thirty Ar- menians in Calisirlar, and spoke with them.

“We spoke with our Armenian fellow citizens around a table. This visit gave the beauty of different nations’ living with one another,” Arik stated.

UKRAINE PAYS TRIBUTE TO ARMENIAN KILLED IN KIEV

RIVNE/NEWS.am -- The funeral of George Harutyunyan, Valeriy Opanasyuk and Alexander Hrapachenko took place in the Ukrainian City of Rivne. Harutyunyan, Opanasyuk and Hrapachenko died during clashes in Kiev on Feb. 20.

According to the local media reports, the funeral in Rivne was at- tended by thousands of Ukraine citizens, including Armenian community representatives from different regions of Ukraine. The service was con- ducted by the priests of the Ukrainian Church and Armenian Cathedral in Lviv.

George Harutyunyan was a citizen of Georgia and an active member of Ukrainian Svoboda (Freedom) Party.

ARMENIAN PARLIAMENT PAYS TRIBUTE TO THOSE KILLED IN KYIV CLASHES

YEREVAN/NEWS.am -- Armenian parliament paid tribute to those killed in Kyiv with a moment of silence be- fore the opening of a four-day session on Monday.

MP from opposition ANC Levon Zurabyan offered to start the parliament's session with a moment of silence for those “who were killed in Kyiv as a result of use of deadly weapons by the authorities”. He noted that “use of force by the authorities against demonstrators is a bad thing”.

In turn, speaker Hovik Abrahamyan offered to pay tribute to all people that were killed, including the officers of internal ministry. He was supported by MP from the Re- publican Party of Armenia Margarit Yesayan who called on opposition not to use the developments in other country to gain political dividends.

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ARMENIAN, RUSSIAN PMS DISCUSS THE PERSPECTIVES OF ECONOMIC COOPERATION

SOCHI — Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev and Armenian Prime Minister Tigran Sarkisian have met in Russia’s Black Sea resort city of Sochi to discuss bilateral ties.

The two leaders discussed Armenia’s road map to join a Russian-led Customs Union and efforts to secure new financial assistance from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

The Heads of Government of the two countries discussed a number of issues on the agenda of Armenian-Russian strategic relations, the im- plementation of joint programs in the fields of energy, industry and infra- structures.

The interlocutors hailed the growing commodity turnover between the two countries and expressed confidence that it will gain new momentum after Armenia’s joining the Customs Union and the Common Economic Area.

Sarkisian told journalists on his return to Yerevan that the Russian side “highly evaluated” the efforts of “working groups” that were set up by the Armenian government to handle membership talks with the trade bloc.

“We also talked about how Russia should help us put the roadmap into practice more effectively as we are go- ing to need financial grants that will be spent on creating infrastructures and a joint database as well as having joint networks. We anticipate the assistance of our partners in that area,” he said. The Armenian and Russian finance ministers will meet to discuss the scale of that assistance, added the premier.

Armenia announced its intention to join the Customs Union, which also includes Belarus and Kazakhstan, in September.

On February 23, Sarkisian said Armenia had implemented about half of the measures needed to join the Cus- toms Union.

He said remaining issues include the Custom Union’s tariffs on some goods, the protection of intellectual property, and some technical regulations.

Armenia did not initial an Association Agreement with the EU in late November in Vilnius as planned due to its intention to join the Customs Union.

FIRST PAN-ARMENIAN WINTER GAMES OPEN IN TSAKHKADZOR

TSAKHKADZOR — President Serzh Sarkisian at- tended the opening ceremony of the First Pan-Armenian Winter Games in Tsaghkadzor.

The President welcomed the participants of the First Pan-Armenian Winter Games and the guests noting that throughout their 15-year-old history, the Panarmenian Games enlarging their geography and increasing the par- ticipants’ number tell us that they are demanded.

The President thanked all those who initiated and spared no effort to establish the Games during these 15 years.

“The Pan-Armenian Games are of great importance for us. It is obvious that those Games strengthen the Homeland-Diaspora bonds and that those Games give thousands of Armenian young men and the people professing a healthy lifestyle an opportunity to establish new contacts, and this fact is vital in now day’s world,” said Serzh Sarkisian wishing the participants a fair competition, a hot struggle and sports successes and announced the opening of the First Pan-Armenian Winter Games.

Some 400 ethnic Armenian athletes from 13 countries will compete in skiing, Alpine skiing, snowboard and ice-hockey (in Yerevan) in competitions that will go on for a week.

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PARLIAMENT PANEL TO PROBE GAS SUPPLIES

YEREVAN -- The Armenian parliament decided on Wednesday to form an ad hoc commission that will inves- tigate controversial aspects of natural gas supplies to the country that have sparked opposition attacks on the gov- ernment in recent weeks.

Two of the opposition factions in the National Assembly looked to set to join the inquiry despite strongly criti- cizing serious curbs on its mandate put by the ruling Republican Party of Armenia (HHK).

The HHK’s parliamentary leaders unexpectedly proposed the creation of the commission last week after re- jecting a similar proposal made by the opposition minority. The four opposition parties represented in the parlia- ment wanted to look into the Armenian government’s recent dealings with the Gazprom monopoly and its broader handling of gas supplies from Russia.

They all had strongly condemned the government for ceding its remaining 20 percent in the national gas dis- tribution network to Gazprom and granting the latter 30-year exclusive rights in the Armenian energy market in a payment for its recently disclosed $300 million debt to the Russian gas giant. The government incurred the debt as a result of secretly subsidizing the increased price of Russian gas from 2011-2013.

The gas deal was signed during Russian President Vladimir Putin’s December visit to Armenia. The opposi- tion considers its subsequent ratification by the Armenian parliament null and void because of what it calls serious procedural violations.

A decision pushed through the parliament by the HHK majority on Wednesday makes clear that the commis- sion will not investigate the controversial deal. Also, the commission, in which the pro-government majority and the opposition will be equally represented, will hold meetings only behind closed doors.

The opposition Armenian National Congress (HAK) and Zharangutyun (Heritage) parties condemned these re- strictions and threatened to boycott the panel during two-day debates held on the parliament floor this week. The HAK’s parliamentary leader, Levon Zurabian, claimed on Tuesday that the main mission of the HHK-backed panel is to “bury the truth.”

“We are not experts on burying or covering up things,” countered parliament speaker Hovik Abrahamian. He and other majority leaders also rejected Zharangutyun calls for the commission to be headed by an opposition law- maker.

MINISTER: IF GOVERNMENT WANTS TO DESTROY NAIRIT, IT IS UNCLEAR WHY SALARIES ARE PAID

YEREVAN/NEWS.am -- If the government wants to destroy Nairit plant, it is unclear why it wants to pay salaries to employees, Energy Minister said during the parliament's session on Tuesday.

In response to opposition MP's remarks, Armen Movsisyan said if the government wished to announce Nairit bankrupt, as the opposition suspects, this would have been done a few years ago.

He called to refrain from incompetent talks about what kind of rubber is more competitive, and what kind of rubber will be produced in Armenia.

“Only experts can answer. And finally, there is Rosneft company that is ready to invest $500 million. We don't have to interfere. Let's wait till the talks are over,” Minasyan said, addressing the lawmakers.

Armenian PM Tigran Sargsyan spoke about the readiness of Rosneft to make investments following his meet- ing with Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev.

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WHAT ARMENIAN AUTHORITIES WILL SAY TO IRAN’S PRESIDENT? – NEWSPAPER

YEREVAN/NEWS.am -- Zhamanak daily spoke with Armenian opposition’s Republic Party Chairman, former PM Aram Sargsyan. Be- low is an excerpt from the interview.

“What regional developments may occur in the near future? Ameri- ca and Europe have begun to develop relations with Iran. How will these developments impact Armenia?

“When the sanctions upon that country were lifted, we, as a neigh- bor-friend country, should have been the first to go and express our sup- port [to Iran] in the future processes. [Armenia President] Serzh Sargsyan should have gone to Iran. But the Armenian authorities didn’t go; the Turkish authorities went [instead], and signed a document that they are setting up a committee to develop their relations; this should

have been signed with Iran, and Iran wanted that. Fortunately, the president of Iran is coming to Armenia. I again urge the Armenian authorities, I even demand that the viewpoints in that direction be clarified, that they maintain themselves as the leaders of Armenia, not as the henchmen of the Russian Federation.”

CITY BUILDING IN ARMENIAN LIBERATED TERRITORIES WILL ENABLE MORE CIVILIZED TALKS WITH AZERBAIJAN

YEREVAN/NEWS.am -- The construction of a city for Azerbaijani Armenians in the liberated territories will not be a violation of international law, or territorial integrity; this is just a protection of international law because, with this step, Armenia will lift the blockade imposed upon it.

Aratta Youth Club Media Relations Department Head, political scientist Hovik Veranyan stated the aforesaid at a roundtable discussion on Tuesday.

“As is well known, blockade is a military action in international law. Being a CSTO member and having sepa- rate agreements with Russia, we [i.e., Armenia] need to call upon our military allies to contribute to the lifting of Armenia’s blockade,” Veranyan stressed.

In his view, the building of a city in the liberated territories will enable to hold talks with Azerbaijan at a more civilized level.

“When they do not speak with that state in its own words, it starts speaking in the language of cynicism. If the specified project is implemented, Azerbaijan will come to understand that it is impossible to defeat Armenia with ease,” Hovik Veranyan noted.

For his part, Aratta Youth Club head Hovhannes Basentsyan stressed the importance of education, and added that the future city will become a major educational center for the region and the world, alike.

2/3 OF ARMENIA’S HIV CARRIERS ARE UNAWARE OF THEIR ILLNESS – WORLD VISION

YEREVAN/NEWS.am -- Ever since 1988, a total of 1,634 cases of HIV were recorded in Armenia, 33 of which among those under the age of 18, but the actual number of the carriers is about 3,500 people.

World Vision Armenia HIV Prevention Program Coordinator Anush Sahakyan stated the aforementioned on Thursday.

“[But] two-thirds of the [HIV] carriers [in Armenia] do not know about the presence of the disease, since they are not examined,” Sahakyan added.

Ahead of the World HIV Day on Saturday, March 1, World Vision Armenia held several events, whose objec- tive was to draw public attention to HIV/AIDS, and to encourage people to be tested for this disease.

“We held the events in [capital city] Yerevan and Gavar, where there is the most number of people that leave for seasonal work,” Anush Sahakyan noted.

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MAXIMUM $10,000 IN CASH TO BE PERMITTED WHEN ENTERING ARMENIA – CENTRAL BANK

YEREVAN/NEWS.am -- The maximum amount of cash money with which entry into Armenia will be permitted has been reviewed in the context of the Customs Union (CU).

Daniel Azatyan, Director of the Financial Monitoring Center of the Central Bank of Armenia, stated the aforesaid at a press conference on Monday.

According to Azatyan, the respective amount is €15,000 at present.

“The $10,000 limit is set for the CU and various countries, alike; that’s why the reviewing of our limit is expedient for us, too,” he informed.

And if someone enters Armenia with a greater cash amount, he will have to submit additional documents.

Just as in the past, the aforementioned limit is applicable solely for the cash amounts entering Armenia. In the case of movable property, however, the State Revenue Committee specifies the calculation of this property’s cus- toms charge as well as the necessary payments of its customs duties and value added tax.

“OPEN HOUSE” AT ARMENIA’S RUSSIAN MILITARY BASE

NEWS.am -- Ahead of Sunday’s Defender of the Fatherland Day in Russia, the 102nd Russian Military Base in Gyumri, Armenia, on Saturday opened its “doors” before the Armenian veterans of the Great Patri- otic War in World War II, schoolchildren, and special guests (Photos).

The official guests included Russian Ambassador to Armenia, Ivan Volinkin; Armenian-Russian Joint Mili- tary Commander, Lieutenant General Mikayel Grigoryan; and Governor Feliks Tsolakyan of Shirak Region.

The guests were shown the military equipment of the base.

Lieutenant General Grigoryan conveyed the con- gratulatory messages by Armenian Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan and Chief of the Armenian Armed Forces General Staff, Colonel General Yuri Khachaturov.

A concert also was held for the guests. Before the concert, however, awards were presented and military titles were bestowed.

ARMENIAN COMMUNISTS HAVE NEW LEADERS

YEREVAN/NEWS.am -- The Communist Party of Armenia (CPA) Central Committee convened a plenum Sunday, during which the party elected new leaders.

Tachat Sargsyan, Acting First Secretary of the CPA Central Committee, was elected First Secretary. Yerjanik Ghazaryan, Secretary of the CPA Youth Policy Affairs, was elected Second Secretary.

Armenian News-NEWS.am learned that several Central Committee members had spoken against the nomi- nees, but the overwhelming majority of the committee members did not support them.

The plenum discussants also decided to prepare for the next CPA congress whose date the party Central Committee will set after May or June.

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BISHOP NALBANDIAN MEETS WITH SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA ELECTED OFFICIALS

On an official visit to the United States, His Grace Bishop Armash Nalbandian, Primate of the Armenian Church of Damascus, along with oth- er Syrian Christian officials, met with several Armenian American leaders and elected officials in Southern California, to discuss the plight of Syria’s Christians in light of the recent political uprisings.

Bishop Nalbandian participated in a lecture on February 10, organized by the Executive Committee of the Syrian Armenian Relief Fund (SARF), under the auspicious of H.E. Archbishop Hovnan Derderian of the Western Diocese of the Armenian Church of North America, provided an opportuni- ty for the public to learn in detail about the dire situation facing Syrian Ar- menians. The program at the Western Diocese Kalaydjian Hall in Burbank, moved so many hearts that over $30,000 was raised.

On Saturday, February 15, Bishop Nalbandian took part in the opening ceremony of a cultural exhibit entitled “A Country Called Syria.” The ex- hibit was presented by the El Pueblo Historical Monument, in collaboration with Syrian American Mothers and the City of Los Angeles Human Rela- tions Commission at the Pico House Gallery at El Pueblo Historical Monu- ment in Los Angeles. The exhibit provided insight and context to the rich

history and timeless allure of this ancient Middle Eastern land. The Bishop was introduced by Joumana Silyan- Saba, Senior Policy Analyst for the City of Los Angeles Human Relations Commission. The Bishop expressed his happiness that such an exhibit was being presented to the public, stressing that Syria has a vast array of diverse cul- tures and ethnicities which must be preserved through these turbulent times. The Bishop also thanked the organizers of the exhibit, as well as Joumana Silyan-Saba and City of Los Angeles Human Relations Commission who have strived to bring awareness to human suffering and facilitating dialogue between peoples.

On Monday, February 17, members of the Central Committee of the Social Democrat Hunchakian Party, along with members of the S.D.H.P. Executive Committee Western USA Region, Armenian Council of America (ACA), Armenian Educational Benevolent Union, Armenian Athletic Association (Homenmen), Nor Serount (New Genera- tion) Cultural Association, Gaidz Youth Organization, civic leaders and guests hosted Bishop Nalbandian at a din- ner reception at the Armenian Educational Benevolent Union center in Pasadena. The Bishop reiterated his grati- tude for medical, educational, and financial assistance being provided by Armenian American organizations worldwide to the Syrian Armenian communities. The Bishop personally thanked the S.D.H.P. and its affiliates con- veying his confidence that they will continue supporting the Armenian communities of Syria.

On Tuesday, February 18, the Bishop, along with members of the Armenian Council of America, met with Representative Judy Chu (D-Pasadena). Bishop Nalbandian gave a general overview of the current situation and the medical, educational, and financial assistance being provided and the need for a peaceful diplomatic resolution to the Syrian conflict. Congresswoman Chu praised the bishop for his work and thanked him for bringing awareness to the Syrian cause. She also thanked the Armenian Council of America for coordinating the meeting enabling her to better understand the situation on the ground pledging her support to provide humanitarian aid to Syria.

Also on Tuesday, the ACA along with the Bishop met with California State Assembly member Adrin Nazarian (D-Sherman Oaks). Assembly member Nazarian stressed the importance of the worldwide Armenian community in their involvement in local government which will enable them to bring change to government policies they are so adamant about. The Assembly member also pledged to bring awareness to the suffering of the Syrian Christians in the region and congratulated the Bishop’s efforts and all the hard work that he is doing in Syria.

On Thursday, February 20, Bishop Nalbandian along with the ACA delegation met with Los Angeles City Council Member Paul Krekorian at City Hall where the two discussed at length the situation in Syria. Coun- cilmember Krekorian thanked the Armenian Council of America for bringing together this meeting, and stressed how sometimes there are various aspects of stories that are are not covered by the media adding to the importance of hearing about first-hand accounts of the turmoil in Syria directly from the Bishop.

Also on Thursday, Bishop Nalbandian met with Rt. Rev. Alexei Smith who serves as Vice President of the Catholic Association of Diocesan Ecumenical and Interreligious Officers. Father Alexei stated the importance of

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Christian to be aware of the suffering of fellow Christians in all parts of the world. Father Alexei expressed his commitment to Bishop Nalbandian in finding ways to support civilians in Syria through charitable humanitarian aid.

On Friday, February 21, Bishop Nalbandian was welcomed to the Los Angeles City Council Chambers by Councilmember Mitch O’Farrell and the Los Angeles City Council. After a brief introduction by Councilmember O’Farrell, the Bishop addressed the City Council on the plight of the declining Christian population of Syria due to the civil war there and requested support to bring peace to the country and its people. The Bishop, emphasizing the importance for the international community to realize that Syria is not just a Muslim country and that not all Mus- lims are terrorists, the vast majority of the Syrian people adhere to peace and that any resolution to the conflict should be done so through peaceful diplomatic means.

Lastly, the Bishop along with the ACA delegation met with Assembly member Mike Gatto (D-Los Angeles). The Assembly member stressed the need for the local Armenian American communities to engage their elected of- ficials and convey their concerns regarding Syria. The Assembly member also expressed his gratitude towards the Bishop and all his efforts, reiterating his support to find specific methods in providing financial relief to Syrian ci- vilians, specifically Christians who have been persecuted as a result of the conflict.

The Bishop thanked the Armenian Council of America and its members for their hard work in organizing the meetings with a large array of elected officials in a substantially short period of time. He expressed his assurance that the ACA will continue championing efforts that will not only help the Armenian communities of Syria, but also other Christian and non-Christians alike.

“The ACA strongly felt that it was crucial to have Bishop Nalbandian meet with key leaders in the community who will, in turn, convey his message to the communities that they represent, as well as their fellow colleagues,” said ACA Board Member Garry Sinanian. “The meetings were extremely productive and I am confident that more will be done in the future to help our brothers and sisters in Syria who are living in dire conditions at the moment. We applaud Bishop Nalbandian for his courageous efforts.”

The Armenian Council of America is a grassroots organization dedicated to work with all political leaders, of- fering Armenian related news, analysis and resources for policymakers, media, students and activists, advocating issues important to Armenian Americans.

SENATOR MCCAIN OFFENDS VISITING SYRIAN CHURCH LEADERS

By Harut Sassounian

Publisher, The California Courier

Sen. John McCain is a prime example of how U.S. officials so often have misjudged overseas crises, believing that

the best way to bring democracy to a country is through massive US bombing and invasion.

The Arizona Senator has been highly critical of Pres. Obama’s ‘arm the rebels strategy,’ urging a more direct US

military intervention in Syria. Sen. McCain does not seem to understand that toppling Pres. Bashar Al-Assad would re-

sult in more deaths and destruction, and turn Syria into a major hub of international terrorism. Over 30,000 Islamic Ji-

hadists from dozens of countries currently are fighting the Syrian government and each another -- surely, not to bring

democracy to Syria!

In fact, the former Republican presidential candidate is so obsessed with beating the drums of war that reportedly he

behaved in an ill-tempered and discourteous manner with a group of high-ranking Christian Syrian leaders, just because

they were not advocating violent regime change. The church delegation had come to Washington last month seeking a

peaceful resolution to the Syrian conflict and protection for Christians numbering around two million -- 10% of the coun-

try’s population.

The visiting Church leaders included Bishop Armash Nalbandian, Primate of the Armenian Apostolic Church of

Damascus, and representatives of the Presbyterian, Evangelical, Syrian Orthodox, and Greek Orthodox churches of Syr-

ia. The delegation met with members of Congress, State Department officials, U.S., NGO’s, academics, religious leaders,

and members of the media.

The Syrian clergymen were gratified with their Washington visit, except for their unpleasant encounter with Sen.

McCain, as described by Judicial Watch:

“Hell-bent on arming opposition forces in Syria -- despite strong evidence that they’re run by Islamic terrorists --

John McCain displayed behavior unbecoming of a United States Senator during a recent meeting with Syrian Christian

leaders touring Capitol Hill.... Senator McCain, an Arizona Republican, evidently doesn’t want to hear negative stories

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about the rebels he’s working to arm. So he stormed out of a closed-door meeting with the Syrian clergy officials last

week.... McCain marched into the committee room yelling, according to a high-level source that attended the meeting,

and quickly stormed out. ‘He was incredibly rude,’ the source told Judicial Watch.... Following the shameful tantrum,

McCain reentered the room and sat briefly, but refused to make eye contact with the participants, instead ignoring them

by looking down at what appeared to be random papers.”

During their meetings in Washington, the Syrian Christian leaders informed U.S. officials about the unfolding mas-

sive human tragedy in their country and the precarious situation of Christian communities; kidnapping of Christian bish-

ops, priests, nuns, and parishioners; attacks on Christian villages; desecration of churches and holy sites; and violations

of religious freedom by armed Islamists.

Given the escalating bloodshed in Syria, the Church leaders asked the United States to:

-- End all military and financial aid to armed rebels;

-- Demand from U.S allies -- Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Turkey -- not to support the terrorists;

-- Ask that all sides of the conflict stop the violence, including bombings and terrorism;

-- Resolve the conflict through dialogue, not military action;

-- Ensure the Syrian people’s security;

-- Protect the Christian minorities;

-- Protect the churches and mosques;

-- Protect religious, historical, and cultural monuments;

-- Assist in the distribution of humanitarian aid in Syria.

The website of the Syrian Armenian Committee for Urgent Relief and Rehabilitation (SACURR) --

www.syriashdab.com -- reported that as of Sept. 30, 2013, the war caused serious harm to the Armenian community: 64

civilians murdered, 172 injured, 110 kidnapped, and 15 soldiers killed in action. Moreover, various Armenian institutions

were damaged: seven Apostolic and three Catholic churches; 13 schools; and 10 community centers. Close to half of

65,000 Syrian-Armenians has fled to Armenia, Lebanon and elsewhere.

SACURR, composed of nine major Armenian social, religious and political organizations in Syria, reported that by

the end of September it had received $1.7 million from overseas Armenian entities. Even though this is a small fraction

of the amount needed, SACURR has been able to provide food, shelter, security, and medical and educational assistance

to Syrian Armenians, including $500,000 in tuition aid to 6,436 students in 38 schools.

Sen. McCain and other foolhardy U.S. officials would do well to heed the wise counsel of the visiting Syrian Chris-

tian leaders. Dispatching more weapons to Syria would only exacerbate the fighting, resulting in endless bloodshed.

GENOCIDE ENCYCLOPEDIAS AND THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE By Alan Whitehorn

The two key human rights concepts of “crimes against humanity” and “genocide” have their roots in the response to the Young Turk mass depor- tations and massacres of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire during World War I. Following the April 24, 1915 mass arrests of hundreds of Armenian political, religious and community leaders of Constantinople and their sub- sequent exile and deaths and the massacres of multitudes of other Armenian civilians, the Entente allied powers of England, France and Russia warned on May 24, 1915 that the Young Turk dictatorship would be held accounta- ble for the massacres and the “new crimes of Turkey against humanity and civilization”.

In 1921 Soghomon Tehlirian was put on trial in Germany for having assassinated Mehmet Talaat, one of the key Young Turk triumvirate re- sponsible for the deportations and massacres of Armenians. Raphael Lemkin, a young Polish university student, who would later become a law- yer, wondered why there existed domestic laws to deal with the murder of one person, but no international law to punish those responsible for the mass killing of a million or more persons. During the 1930s, Lemkin sug- gested the twin concepts of “vandalism” and “barbarism” to deal with such crimes. The former dealt with the destruction of cultural artifacts, while the latter related to acts of violence against defenseless groups. By 1944, these twin concepts had merged into his pro-

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posed new international term: “genocide”. The new concept, along with “crimes against humanity”, would become a key pillar of international law.

With the introduction of the two crucial legal concepts of “crimes against humanity” and “genocide”, it re- mained for scholars and prosecutors alike to apply these principles to specific cases. Over time, increasingly there emerged the need to compare different historical and contemporary examples. Pioneering analytical and compara- tive books such as Irving Horowitz’s Genocide (New Brunswick, Transaction Books, 1976) and Leo Kuper’s Gen- ocide (Harmondsworth, Penguin Books, 1981) were penned in this regard. Before long, the field of genocide stud- ies emerged and was formalized with the birth of the International Association of Genocide Studies in 1994. How- ever, a challenge familiar to many in comparative politics arose. Given that most individuals and scholars lack the global expertise to know sufficient detail about all of the major case studies, there was an urgent need for encyclo- pedias and dictionaries on genocide.

Drawing intellectual inspiration and editorial guidance from Israel Charny, a pioneering project was launched. In 1999, the two-volume Encyclopedia of Genocide, (Santa Barbara, ABC-CLIO, 1999) was published. With sub- stantial input by Rouben Adalian, the encyclopedia included two-dozen entries about the Armenian Genocide and the Ottoman Young Turk regime. The encyclopedia also contained several thematic entries that cited reference to the Armenian case. Rouben Adalian led the way with 17 entries that he penned on topics such as the Hamidian Massacres, Adana, Musa Dagh, Young Turks, Woodrow Wilson and Henry Morgenthau Sr. Other prominent au- thors included Vahakn Dadrian (Armenian Genocide documentation and Courts Martial), Roger Smith (Armenian Genocide denial), Robert Melson (comparison of the Armenian Genocide and the Holocaust), Samuel Totten (gen- ocide films and literature), Peter Balakian (poetry on the Armenian Genocide), Sybil Milton (Armin T. Wegner) and Steve Jacobs (Raphael Lemkin). The two volumes were not only pioneering, they remain quite useful, even to this day. This is a testament to their strong scholarship and the continued importance of the topic. Adalian’s entries stand up well and many still appear on-line at the ANI web site.

Soon after the appearance of the English language two volume Encyclopedia of Genocide, a French language one-volume version appeared: Israel Charny, ed., Le Livre noir de l’humanite: Encyclopedie mondiale des geno- cides (Toulouse, Editions Privat, 2001). For the most part, the entries on the Armenian Genocide and other geno- cides were the same, but there were a few additions and deletions in the French edition. Overall, students of the Armenian Genocide were exceptionally well-served by the two editions.

The three-volume set edited by Dinah Shelton. Encyclopedia of Genocide and Crimes Against Humanity, (De- troit, Thomson Gale, 2005) provides extensive material on the Holocaust, attempted to be more inclusive of other genocides and offered a number of thematic entries. However, the coverage on the Armenian Genocide (with under ten full entries) was less in this three-volume account than in the earlier and smaller English and French Encyclo- pedia of Genocide. Nevertheless, the entries were written by prominent figures: Vahakn Dadrian (Armenians in the Ottoman Empire, Talaat), Dennis Papazian (Armenians in Russia and the USSR), Michael Hagopian (Armenian Genocide documentary films), Atom Egoyan (Armenian Genocide feature films) and Peter Balakian (Genocide po- etry, including a section on the Armenian Genocide). The cluster of entries was stronger on the arts angle of the Armenian Genocide than the history or sociology. For example, Henry Morgenthau Jr addressing the Holocaust was listed, but not Henry Morgenthau Sr on the Armenian Genocide. The entry on Benjamin Whitaker was an im- portant one, but remained silent on the Turkish government’s powerful efforts to thwart the UN’s Whitaker Report, which contained an important historical reference to the Armenian Genocide. The Encyclopedia did, however, in- clude an entry by Christopher Simpson on German missionary Johannes Lepsius and his brave report during WW I on the Armenian massacres. On another positive note, some of the thematic entries provided references to the Ar- menian Genocide.

The one-volume account edited by Leslie Horvitz and Christopher Catherwood, Encyclopedia of War Crimes and Genocide, (New York, Facts on File, 2006) contained only one main entry on the Armenian Genocide and one partial reference in the entry on “crimes against humanity”. This was inadequate coverage of one of the major gen- ocides of the 20th century. It seemed that the pattern had become one of declining coverage. That was about to change.

The two-volume collection co-edited and co-authored by Samuel Totten and Paul Bartrop (with some assis- tance from Steve Jacobs), Dictionary of Genocide (Westport, Greenwood, 2008) saw a return to more comprehen- sive coverage. While no Armenian Genocide specialist authors were listed as contributors, the volumes included at least 40 entries on the Armenian Genocide and a wide range of topics covered. Entries dealt with the key perpetra- tors (Abdul Hamid II, Committee of Union and Progress/CUP, Ahmed Djemal, Ismail Enver, Mehemet Talaat,

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Mehemed Nazim), famous places and incidents (Adana, Deir ez Zor, Forty Days of Musa Dagh), key humanitarian figures (Johannes Lepsius, British Viscount James Bryce, US Ambassador Henry Morgenthau, German military medic Armin T. Wegner), international reaction (British and the Bryce Report on the “Treatment of the Armenians in the Ottoman Empire”, American including the formation of the “Armenian Atrocities Committee”), films (Ara- rat, Voices From the Lake, Armenia: The Betrayed), genocide centers (Armenian Genocide Institute Museum, Zoryan Institute), Armenian Genocide denialist authors (Bernard Lewis, Justin McCarthy), links to related Ottoman genocides (Assyrians, Pontic Greeks) and the Holocaust. It is a highly readable set of volumes that provides useful summary information about the Armenian Genocide. However, some readers would want more detailed entries and that was about to appear.

In an Internet age, it was inevitable that an on-line encyclopedia of genocide would eventually emerge. The American educational publisher ABC-CLIO recently created a large database on genocide that was primarily in- tended for high school students and teachers, but would also be valuable to university students and professors. Enti- tled “Modern Genocide: Understanding Causes and Consequences”, it is available for an annual subscription fee. Developed in consultation with an advisory board of Paul Bartrop, Steven Jacobs and Suzanne Ransleben, the data- base continues to grow and be updated. At the current time, it contains seven main entries on the Armenian Geno- cide (Overview, Causes, Consequences, Perpetrators, Victims, Bystanders, International Reaction) by Alan Whitehorn. There are also several discussion essays by various authors (including Colin Tatz and Henry Theriault) on Armenian Genocide recognition and how well the genocide has been known, and about 70 individual subject entries. Entries include pieces done by Rouben Adalian, Paul Bartrop, Zaven Khatchaturian, Robert Melson, Khatchig Mouradian, Rubina Peroomian, George Shirinian, Roger Smith, and others. However, not as many Arme- nian Genocide specialists have contributed as one might have expected. In addition to the encyclopedia entries and genocide timeline, there are some primary source documents and photos. The online database provides useful in- sight on the Armenian Genocide. It also suggests what might be possible if all of the entries were to be gathered together into a separate encyclopedic volume that is focused on the Armenian Genocide. Unfortunately, this is something that to date has not yet been done, but which one hopes will occur before 2015.

Quite significantly, all of the genocide encyclopedias together show that the Armenian Genocide constitutes an important case study that is included in each and every genocide encyclopedia from the first to the most recent. This reflects academic consensus amongst genocide scholars that the mass deportations and killings of Armenians constitute genocide. These important scholarly reference works thus provide significant academic documentation that can serve to repudiate the Turkish state’s repeated polemical denials of the Armenian Genocide. Accordingly, these genocide encyclopedias ought to be cited by scholars, jurists and citizens alike. The European Court of Hu- man Rights, in its recent (December 17, 2013) flawed decision on Armenian Genocide denial, should have been aware of such key academic reference works. If they had, their reasoning, in all likelihood, would have been differ- ent. Without a doubt, these encyclopedias’ coverage of the Armenian Genocide remind us that time is long overdue for the Turkish government and its citizens to face the dark pages of their history.

COVER PAGE

Shahnour Varinag Aznavourian (also Vaghinag) better known by his stage name Charles Aznavour (born 22 May 1924), is a French and Armenian singer, songwriter, actor, public activist and diplomat. Besides being one of France's most popular and enduring singers, he is also one of the best-known singers in the world. Aznavour is known for his unique tenor voice: clear and ringing in its upper reaches, with gravelly and profound low notes. He has appeared in more than sixty movies, composed about a thousand songs (including at least 150 in English, 100 in Italian, 70 in Spanish, and 50 in German), and sold well over 100 million records.

In 1998, Aznavour was named Entertainer of the Century by CNN and users of Time Online from around the globe. He was recognized as the century's outstanding performer, with nearly 18% of the total vote, edging out Elv- is Presley and Bob Dylan. He has sung for presidents, popes and royalty, as well as at humanitarian events, and is the founder of the charitable organization Aznavour for Armenia along with his long-time friend impresario Levon Sayan.

In 2009, he was appointed ambassador of Armenia to Switzerland, as well as Armenia's permanent delegate to the United Nations at Geneva.

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