Breaking News: KENTUCKY STATE SENATE WITHDRAWS ANTI-ARMENIAN RESOLUTION

March 7, 2016 By administrator

ALIYEV-FAILS-YET-AGAIN-400x300 By anca.org,

FRANKFORT, KY – The Armenian National Committee of America Eastern Region (ANCA-ER) announced today that it successfully defeated Senate Resolution 168 in Kentucky, which grossly misrepresented the facts of Artsakh-Azerbaijani conflict. Dozens of Kentucky residents responded to the ANCA-ER action alert and successfully defeated the measure. Kentucky joins Idaho, New Hampshire, and other states which have already rejected similar misleading pro-Baku measures in the recent past.

“Our experience in Kentucky proved again that the democratic process works and our state legislators will not tolerate any attempt of interference and misrepresentation that serve the interests of a foreign dictator like Ilham Aliyev, who has ruthlessly repressed his own people and taken an increasingly anti-Western stance, while continuing aggression against Armenia and Artsakh effectively endangering fragile peace in the region,” said ANCA-ER Communications and Community Outreach Director Artur Martirosyan. “With our wide network of local ANCs and advocates, we will continue to work diligently to ensure the rights of the free people of Nagorno Karabakh Republic are protected and affirmed by the international community.”

S.R. 168, sponsored by Senator Damon Thayer, was introduced in the Kentucky Senate on March 1, 2016. Upon learning about the resolution by local advocates, ANCA-ER immediately mobilized the grassroots and spoke strongly against the deceptive and dangerous resolution calling upon the Senate President and Majority Floor Leader to withdraw it. Earlier today, the Kentucky Senate officially withdrew the measure from the proceedings of the legislative body and effectively killed the resolution.

The numerous calls and emails generated by the ANCA-ER and local residents caused Senators to educate themselves on the realities of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, Sumgait and Baku massacres of Armenians, Azerbaijan’s gross human rights track record, Baku’s destabilizing role in the region as well as the rightful aspirations of the people of Artsakh Republic to live in an independent state free of Azerbaijani repression.

About ANCA-ER

The Armenian National Committee of America Eastern Region (ANCA-ER) is the grassroots advocacy organization representing the views and advancing the policy priorities of Armenian Americans and other friends of Armenia across the Eastern United States. Working in coordination with a network of local ANCs, community advocates and local supporters, the ANCA-ER actively advances the concerns, interests, and priorities of the Armenian American community on a broad range of issues.

USA: Georgia State House passes Karabakh recognition resolution

March 3, 2016 By administrator

207400 The Georgia State House adopted the resolution “Honoring and Recognizing the Nagorno Karabakh Republic” on Thursday, March 3, Armenian National Committee of Georgia reports.

Representatives Pat Gardner and Demetrius Douglas were the main sponsors of the document.

The ANC of Georgia will provide further details later.

In late August 2015, the California State Senate, led by incoming Senate President Pro Tem Kevin De Leon, by an overwhelming majority of votes passed Assembly member Mike Gatto’s resolution, encouraging Artsakh’s (Nagorno Karabakh) continuing efforts to develop as a free and independent nation and formally calling upon the President and Congress of the United States to support the self-determination and democratic independence of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic.

Idaho Armenian-American Community Defeats Pro-Azerbaijani Resolution In State Legislature in Less Than 48 Hours

February 17, 2016 By administrator

Thank-You-Idaho-HCR037-Graphic BOISE, IDAHO – The Armenian National Committee of America – Western Region (ANCA-WR) announced today that it successfully defeated House Concurrent Resolution 37, which attempted to praise Azerbaijan’s interfaith tolerance and positive multiculturalism. The ANCA-WR led an advocacy initiative and mobilized Idaho’s local Armenian American community to defeat the measure in less than 48 hours.

“The quick defeat of Idaho’s resolution in praise of Azerbaijan is a testament to the strength of American democracy and yet another example

that our well-organized grassroots

efforts will have a stronger resounding effect than that of a foreign paid lobby ,” said Elen Asatryan, Executive Director of the ANCA-WR. “We are proud that the State of Idaho has joined the states of Hawaii, Colorado, California and others to reject the dictatorial regime of Azerbaijan, which is known for its oppression of citizens, press and its persecution of Christian communities.

“A dictatorship that has destroyed more Christian monuments than ISIS and is the world’s fifth most censored country should not be praised for anything, let alone interfaith tolerance.”

HCR 37, sponsored by Representative Thomas Dayley, was introduced by the Idaho House State Affairs Committee on Feb. 11, 2016. Once alerted to the resolution, ANCA-WR immediately alerted the local Armenian American community, submitted testimony to all House members in opposition to the resolution and called upon all members to encourage the withdrawal of this resolution. The complete statement by the ANCA-WR opposing the resolution can be found at www.ancawr.org/Idaho.

Earlier today, the Idaho House State Affairs Committee confirmed that the controversial measure had effectively been withdrawn killed.

“The sponsor of the resolution has requested that I hold the bill and not have a hearing on it,” stated Representative Thomas Loertscher, chairman of the committee, in an email. “That is what will happen and it will not advance and will not be considered for any further action.”

Local activists and ANCA-Idaho Chair Liyah Babayan, who is a well-respected entrepreneur and human rights defender in Twin Falls, commended joint efforts to defeat HCR 37.

“In coordination with the ANCA-WR, we have successfully organized opposition to this mockery of a resolution via phone calls, emails and quick action,” Babayan said. “Once I informed the ANCA-WR of the resolution, they instantly prioritized and pulled their resources together to help us stop this resolution.”

ANCA-Idaho chair Liyah Babayan was assisted by her mother Tamara and daughter Angeli as she shared her story of being a refugee from Azerbaijan with Idaho legislators.

Babayan, herself a refugee from Baku, Azerbaijan met with members of the State Affairs Committee and shared personal stories of persecution at the hands of Azerbaijan. Idaho lawmakers were appalled that they had been misled to believe that Azerbaijan was a utopian society.

Another human rights activist in Idaho, Jo-Ann Kachigian, received the following explanation from her lawmaker as to why the resolution was introduced in the first place: “I think it was well motivated, but with lack of information. [The sponsor] thought that unlike many of the other Islamic nations in the area Azerbaijan had a peacefully coexisting situation among Muslims, Christians and Jews which should be highlighted, but had not considered the Armenian history and had inadequate information on the Christian minorities there. I am not sure where he got his initial information, but I don’t think there was any underlying commercial motive.”

ANCA-WR also mobilized over 90 activists in Idaho, many of whom, with a moment’s notice spoke directly with their lawmakers and received assurance that they would not only vote against HCR 37, but would personally appeal for it to be withdrawn. The numerous calls and emails generated by the ANCA-WR and local residents caused legislators to educate themselves on Azerbaijan’s actual human rights record.

About the Armenian National Committee of America-Western Region

The Armenian National Committee of America-Western Region is the largest and most influential Armenian American grassroots advocacy organization in the Western United States. Working in coordination with a network of offices, chapters, and supporters throughout the Western United States and affiliated organizations around the country, the ANCA-WR advances the concerns of the Armenian American community on a broad range of issues.

Thank you

ANCA Western Region

February 17, 2016

Schiff, Sherman Urged Kerry to Oppose PACE Anti-Karabakh Resolution

January 27, 2016 By administrator

Representatives Adam Schiff (left) and Brad Sherman

WASHINGTON – House Intelligence Committee Ranking Democrat Adam Schiff (D-CA) and Senior Foreign Affairs Committee Member Brad Sherman (D-CA) added their voices to official U.S. opposition against a biased Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) resolution, backed by the Azerbaijani government, seeking to undermine the ongoing Nagorno-Karabakh peace negotiations, reported the Armenian National Committee of America. PACE officials voted down the controversial measure earlier today, following extensive debate.

In a letter to Secretary of State Kerry, Rep. Schiff urged the State Department to “make clear at the highest levels its view that the resolution is one-sided, inaccurate, and counterproductive to the cause of peace and stability.” Noting that Azerbaijan has “taken numerous provocative actions on the Line of Contact resulting in the death and injury of civilians and military personnel,” Rep. Schiff expressed concern that the resolution fails to mention that President Aliyev “continues to reject the installation of technologies along the Line of Contact to monitor the use of snipers and artillery.” Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh have agreed to the placement of such monitoring measures, which were advanced by House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Ed Royce (R-CA) and Eliot Engel (D-NY) and over 80 U.S. House Members in November, 2015.

Rep. Sherman, in his letter to Secretary Kerry, urged that the U.S. take immediate action to defeat the measure which sought to undermine the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Minsk Group’s leadership role in the Nagorno Karabakh peace negotiations. “Doing away with the Minsk Group is not only bad policy but an insult to the American people and to the hard working and dedicated diplomats at the State Department,” explained Rep. Sherman. “For generations, the people of Europe have urged America to be involved in Europe. In the twentieth century, hundreds of thousands of Americans died to bring peace to Europe. Now we are being told that a group chaired by France, Russia, and the United States should be dislodged and a new group, without any involvement of the U.S. should take over.”

“Armenian Americans across California and around the U.S. thank Congressman Sherman and Schiff for their trans-Atlantic leadership in securing a strong U.S. stand against Azerbaijan’s ongoing efforts to manipulate European institutions and undermine the Nagorno-Karabakh negotiations,” said Aram Hamparian, Executive Director of the ANCA. “We would like to share our support and solidarity with our colleagues at the EAFJD, who – working in cooperation with government and civil society stakeholders and rallying European Armenians, friends of Armenia, and supporters of peace across the continent – played a vital role in the defeat of this reckless measure.”

Both Rep. Schiff and Sherman were writing to bolster opposition previously communicated by the U.S. State Department against the PACE resolution, titled “Escalation of violence in Nagorno-Karabakh and the other occupied territories of Azerbaijan,” and presented by PACE Rapporteur Robert Walter. In a January 22nd statement, the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs, including U.S. Ambassador James Warlick, urged that “steps not be taken which could undermine the Minsk Group’s mandate from the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe or complicate ongoing negotiations.”

The resolution was defeated by a narrow margin, with a vote of 66 votes for, 70 against, and 45 abstentions.

The PACE members also considered a second controversial resolution focusing on water resource issues related to the Sarsang dam, located in the Republic of Nagorno Karabakh. That measure, presented by rapporteur Milica Marković and widely seen as poorly researched and highly biased, was adopted by a vote of 98 votes for, 71 against, 40 abstentions.

Breaking News U.N. Security Council Approves Resolution on Syria Talks

December 18, 2015 By administrator

An injured man at a field hospital in Douma, Syria, this month, following what activists said was an airstrike by forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad. Credit Bassam Khabieh/Reuters

By SOMINI SENGUPTA and DAVID E. SANGERDEC. 18, 2015

UNITED NATIONS — The United Nations Security Council unanimously approved on Friday a resolution calling for a cease-fire and political talks to help end the civil war in Syria.

The measure, adopted 15-0, is the first time that Russia and the United States, who have been at loggerheads over the future of Syria’s president, Bashar al-Assad, agreed on a road map for a political process.

The resolution makes no mention of whether or not Mr. Assad would be able to run for office in new elections, which it says must be held in the next 18 months.

There are still gaps to be reconciled between the American and Russian positions, but the agreement has enabled the Security Council to give its imprimatur to a possible political solution for the first time since the civil war started nearly five years ago.

One possible obstacle to implementing a deal will be determining which of the disparate rebel groups would participate in the talks scheduled to begin next month, and whether they would agree to come to the table at all without a guarantee of Mr. Assad’s exit.

The resolution also leaves open the question whether other rebel groups can be designated as terrorist organizations and would fall outside the cease-fire agreement. The resolution embraces an effort led by Jordan to develop “a common understanding” for determining which groups are terrorist and which can participate in political talks with the Syrian government, allowing the fight against the Islamic State militants and the Qaeda-affiliated Al Nusra Front to continue.

The resolution endorses a process begun by Secretary of State John Kerry to bring together the Russians, Iranians, Saudis and other major regional players with European governments to develop a diplomatic road map for resolving the Syrian conflict.

Diplomats from more than a dozen countries met at the Palace Hotel in New York on Friday to discuss a possible resolution.

At issue was whether the countries that all have stakes in the outcome of the war can end the fighting, and by doing so, help stem the refugee crisis in Europe and the threat posed by the Islamic State.

The last two rounds of talks, held in Vienna in October and November, produced a diplomatic road map for Syria: a cease-fire by January; talks between the Syrian government and opposition parties, mediated by the United Nations; and elections in 18 months.

The draft of the resolution agreed Friday by the so-called International Syria Support Group appears to include these three steps. The group is led by the envoys of the United States and Russia, and includes the regional rivals Iran, Saudi Arabia and Turkey — which have vastly different agendas in Syria. The Arab League and the European Union also participated.

American officials said that before the full group began its discussions on Friday, Mr. Kerry had conferred with his Russian counterpart, Sergey V. Lavrov, and that they had then met with envoys of the other three permanent members of the Security Council — Britain, China and France.

John Kirby, a State Department spokesman, told reporters in Washington on Thursday that the agreement struck at the last meeting of the support group left Mr. Assad’s future unresolved. It called for “a unified, pluralistic, nonsectarian, whole Syria,” he said.

One of the trickiest parts of the road map for diplomacy was expected to be composing the list of groups in Syria that are considered terrorist organizations and would be excluded from the peace process.

The agreement on Friday comes after a rare show of unity among the world powers Thursday afternoon, when the Security Council unanimously adopted a legally binding resolution intended to prevent the Islamic State, Al Qaeda and other terrorist groups from raising money.

One of the most incongruous parts of the resolution was that the government of Syria was one of its co-sponsors.

source: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/19/world/middleeast/syria-talks-isis.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=first-column-region&region=top-news&WT.nav=top-news&_r=0

UN unanimously adopts resolution targeting IS group finances

December 17, 2015 By administrator

New York, December 17, 2015. REUTERS/Mike Segar

The UN Security Council has passed a resolution strengthening legal measures against those doing business with terrorist groups. It targets mainly Islamic State militants (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL).

The resolution is the result of a joint effort by Russia and the US, which are both leading anti-IS campaigns in Syria.

It stems from a UNSC action taken in February against illegal trafficking of antiquities from Syria, which threatened sanctions on anyone buying oil from IS or the Al-Qaeda-linked Al-Nusra Front and urged that kidnap ransoms not be paid.

#UPDATE UN unanimously adopts resolution targeting IS finances https://t.co/SzC9gXolLs

— AFP News Agency (@AFP) December 17, 2015

EU: Game Changing’ Snowden Resolution Protects Rights of All EU Citizens

November 1, 2015 By administrator

Edward Snowden’s legal representative in Hong Kong told Sputnik that last week’s resolution from the European parliament to prevent Snowden’s extradition is a progressive step to protect the rights of citizens in the EU.

The approval by the European Union parliament of a resolution that calls on member states to prevent Edward Snowden’s extradition to the US marks a “natural progression” to ensure greater protection for the rights of EU citizens, lawyer Robert Tibbo told Radio Sputnik on Sunday.

Despite the vote having no legal force, the resolution to offer protection from extradition to Snowden “definitely falls into a game-changing set of resolutions,” said Tibbo, who represented Edward Snowden in Hong Kong.
“The EU has resolved to recognize that from its 2014 EU parliament report, necessary changes need to be made relating to electronic mass surveillance by government.”

The report identified issues such as a lack of transparency and government oversight, and deficiencies in policies and legislation that should ensure the privacy rights and human rights of EU citizens are not violated by surveillance programs, said the lawyer.
“The European Union in 2014 also mentioned the necessity to provide policy legislation and mechanisms to protect whistleblowers,” explained Tibbo.
“That was a year and a half ago, and the resolution last week by the European Parliament was a recognition that European Union members have not done enough so far in terms of bringing about those changes.”
The resolution that was passed on October 29 was a “very significant step,” said Tibbo, which follows a previous resolution in 2013, the 2014 report and a report from the UN rapporteur on human rights as early as 2009, which warned about a lack of protection for civilians’ privacy and human rights.
“With Snowden’s revelations, there was a significant drop in trust between the European Union and the United States, and the European Union is simply moving forward, building up that trust again with the United States government.”
“This is a natural progression, the European Union, based on evidence, based on law and policy, they are making rational decisions on how to move forward to protect European Union citizen’s rights.”

UN General Assembly adopts Armenia-led resolution

September 12, 2015 By administrator

The UN General Assembly on Friday adopted Armenia’s resolution designating December 9 “International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide and of the Prevention of this Crime”.

The resolution had over 80 cosponsoring countries, including the U.S, Asbarez reported.

“We were pleased to see Ambassador Samantha Power voice support for this Armenia-lead initiative in the United Nations to mobilize the international community and global public opinion in support of the noble – but still unrealized – aims of the Genocide Convention,” said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian.

“Unfortunately, despite this vote, the Obama Administration remains actively complicit in Turkey’s ongoing denial of truth and obstruction of justice for the Armenian genocide – a shameful outsourcing of American policy that stands starkly at odds with both the spirit and the letter of this measure.”

UC Santa Cruz student government passes anti-Turkish resolution

June 3, 2015 By administrator

The student government at the University of California, Santa Cruz, on Tuesday unanimously passed “A Resolution to Divest from the Republic of Turkey to End the Perpetuation of the Armenian Genocide”, Asbarez reported.

The resolution ultimately called for UC Santa Cruz, the UC Santa Cruz Foundation, and the University of California to divest $72.6 million dollars worth of University of California bonds and investments in the Republic of Turkey for its crimes in, and continued denial of the Armenian Genocide.

Various students of UC Santa Cruz, members of the Armenian Students’ Association (ASA), along with members of the greater Armenian community gathered for the hearing of the resolution and spoke about the university’s investments in the Turkish government, its compliance in genocide denial, and the need for divestment.

The student governments of UCLA, UC Irvine, UC Davis, UC RIverside, and UC Berkeley unanimously passed similar resolutions during the first half of this year. Moreover, just a few months ago, ASUCI unanimously passed a resolution “Commemorating the Armenian Genocide and Condemning its Denial,” raising further awareness on campus about the Armenian Genocide and its need for international recognition.

The resolution is an initiative started in part by the Armenian Youth Federation (AYF) Western United States- a grassroots community organization dedicated to justice for the Armenian cause and the Armenian people.

Armenia News – NEWS.am

Armenian Genocide resolution introduced to Germany federal state parliament

May 13, 2015 By administrator

On the occasion of the Armenian Genocide Centennial, the parliament of the federal state of Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, on Tuesday submitted a joint resolution condemning the genocide.

In the Rhineland-Palatinate capital city of Mainz, all parliament factions used the term “genocide” to describe what occurred in the Ottoman Empire in 1915.

“We [i.e. Germans] all have to bear the historic accountability for this Genocide (…). That is why we introduce this joint resolution.

“This is not solely about remembering the victims, but the need to look ahead. Our joint objective is to achieve reconciliation, mutual understanding, and recognition. That is why we support the development of Armenian-Turkish relations.

“The resolution calls on to remember the Armenian Genocide that occurred 100 years ago. The [Rhineland-Palatinate] parliament factions condemn the Ottoman Empire’s actions that led to the extermination of 1.5 million Armenians.

“The parliamentary forces remain faithful to their decision of Armenian-Turkish reconciliation,” the joint resolution specifically reads, reported Rhein-Zeitung.