Please take a look at the
Encyclopedia of Genocide (2volumes) by Prof. Israel W. Charny
Executive Director,
Institute on the Holocaust and Genocide, Jerusalem, Israel
Editor-in-Chief, Encyclopedia of Genocide
[ABC-Clio Publishers, UK & USA, 1999]
Make sure your Library carries it! It's a great GENOCIDE reference tool!!!

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A dear friend of mine just e-mailed me the following text (8 Nov 2000)

Re: FRANCE AND THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
* Senate votes 164 to 40 to adopt measure after four-hour debate.

PARIS (ANCA, RFE/RL, Reuters, Noyan Tapan)—Following a heated four
hour debate that lasted until 5:30 Wednesday morning, the French
Senate—resisting intense pressure from the Turkish
Government—adopted a measure publicly recognizing the Armenian
Genocide.

Commenting on the victory, Armenian National Committee of France
Chairman Ara Krikorian said, "This is a victory for the French people, the
Armenian people and all mankind." The ANC-France and the broad-based
April 24th Committee worked together for several years to secure support
for this resolution at the national and local levels. At the time of the vote,
more than 1,000 Armenians were present at a vigil outside the Senate
building.

Overcoming strong opposition by the Senate leadership to the scheduling
of a vote on the initiative, Senators supporting the recognition of the
Armenian Genocide voted to discuss the resolution as part of the "urgent
issues" agenda item. This sparked several hours of debate and a flurry of
amendments designed to either weaken or kill the resolution. One
amendment, which urged that the Armenian Genocide issue be left to
historians, was overwhelmingly defeated by a vote of 168 to 54.

Sources in France reported that prior to the vote, President Jacques
Chirac phoned all right-wing party senators to urge them to vote against
the Genocide bill, but to no avail.

Armenian Genocide bill proponents, Senators Gilbert Charboux, Bernard
Piras, Jean Claude Gaudin and Gerard Collomb were among those
speaking forcefully in support of the measure, while the Senate's
France-Turkey Friendship Caucus Chairman Jacques-Richard Delong led
the opposition. The measure was finally adopted by the Senate, the upper
house of the French Parliament, by a vote of 164 for, 40 against and 4
abstentions.

The French Assembly, the lower house of the Parliament, had adopted a
similar resolution on May 29, 1998. Since that time, the French
Government and Senate leadership have obstructed efforts to schedule the
measure for a vote in the Senate, citing concern about its effects on
France-Turkey relations. In the weeks leading up to Wednesday's vote,
Turkish President Sezer warned French President Jacques Chirac that
passage of the resolution would negatively impact diplomatic relations
between the two countries. A delegation of Turkish parliamentarians had
traveled to Paris to lobby against the measure. Similar tactics were used,
successfully, by the Turkish government to block a vote on an Armenian
Genocide resolution this October in the US House of Representatives.

"We welcome this historic vote by the French Senate as an important step
toward ending Turkey's shameful campaign to deny the Armenian
Genocide," said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian. "As Armenian
Americans, we applaud the French Senate for standing up to the Turkish
government's campaign of threats, lies, and intimidation. We are already
working to help ensure that the incoming U.S. Administration and
Congress will do the same."

Following Senate passage, the resolution must again be considered by the
French Assembly and, upon approval, will go to President Jacques Chirac
for signature.

Armenia welcomed on Wednesday the decision by the French Senate to
recognize as genocide the massacres of an estimated 1.5 million
Armenians in the Ottoman Empire 85 years ago, reported Radio Free
Europe/Radio liberty.

A spokesman for the Armenian foreign ministry, Ara Papian said in a
statement that the vote "reaffirms the historical truth" and enables Armenia
and Turkey to "overcome difficult issues inherited from the past."

Later, Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian urged the Armenian parliament to
officially express its gratitude to the French lawmakers.

EU membership candidate Turkey Wednesday condemned a French
senate decision to recognize the Armenian Genocide, reported Reuters
news agency.

Approval of the bill could spark tension between Ankara and Paris and
trouble Turkey's budding relations with the European Union, of which
France currently holds the rotating presidency.

"We reject and condemn this decision, which constitutes an extremely
unfortunate and mistaken step," Foreign Ministry spokesman Huseyin
Dirioz told reporters, adding that the measure would now go before the
national assembly.

"The national assembly should not repeat the senate's mistake and
worsen the damage already done to our relations," the Turkish spokesman
said.

Dirioz made reference to huge forced marches of Armenians away from
areas of eastern Anatolia where they had lived.

"At that time all the people of the region were hit by heavy fighting, climate
conditions, infectious disease and poor nutrition. However, a large section
of the Armenians reached their new settlement areas safely. In other
words, there was neither a genocide against Armenians nor a genocide
order. Claims to the contrary are deliberate and baseless," he said.

Dirioz accused Armenian President Robert Kocharian of orchestrating a
campaign to win recognition for a genocide in foreign capitals.

"This policy does not serve peace and stability in the Caucasus, increases
Armenia's regional isolation and does great harm to the suffering people of
Armenia," he said.

The Parliament of Italy postponed the discussion of the resolution on the
Armenian Genocide until November 13-14, Public Relations Department of
the Foreign Ministry of Armenia told Noyan Tapan.

In an interview to the Boston Globe newspaper, Speaker of the Armenian
National Assembly Armen Khachatrian said that if the problem of the
recognition of the Armenian Genocide is not solved, the Armenian-Turkish
relations will not be fully normal. Agreeing that both Turkey and Armenia
are interested in the development of economic relations, Kachatrian
stressed that "the Genocide is a historical fact and it is right to admit it,
clean the dust of history and build new relations."

As regards the exchange of Meghri in the context of the Karabakh
settlement, Khachatrian said that this scheme is considered unacceptable
by Armenia. At the same time he stressed that the Armenian authorities
are disposed to discuss the "common state" variant approved by them.
Khachatrian also expressed the opinion that the blockade imposed on
Armenia by Azerbaijan and Turkey is a serious obstacle to the solution to
the problem.

Meanwhile, the director of the Institute-Museum of the Armenian Genocide
Lavrenty Barseghian said that the recognition of the Armenian Genocide
by the French Senate is a great democratic achievement, and according to
him, it is also a victory gained by Armenians residing in France as they
earned this right during WW I and II.

Barseghian pointed out that for many years Turkey has been carrying out
vigorous propaganda activities in France, exerting pressure on the
president, and inflicting financial damage on France by rejecting to sign
trade contracts. But, according to Barseghian, the French president could
not resist the pressure of the people.

Barseghian also said that the US Congress could not discuss the issue of
the Armenian Genocide, as it is soon to be dissolved. As a rule, the US
military circles objected to the issue being discussed, as the US has 12
and NATO 15 military bases on Turkish territory. But, he said,
Congressmen are continuing to raise the issue, and the US will eventually
recognize the Armenian Genocide.

Barseghian said that first, the Armenian Genocide must be recognized by
the countries that were involved in WWI: Germany, Austria, Great Britain,
Italy and Turkey.

The Armenian Genocide was for the first time recognized by the parliament
of Uruguay. Later the Genocide was recognized by a number of countries:
Argentina (1985), Cyprus (1990), Russia (1995), Greece (1996), Lebanon
and Australia (1997), Belgium (1998), Sweden and France (2000).

******************

News Release (9/99)

For immediate release
resolution language included
Armenian American Republican Council
818-241-0006 or 818-541-4122

California Republican Party unanimously passed the Genocide
Resolution sponsored by AARC

Anaheim, CA

The 1300 delegates of the California Republican Party unanimously
passed the Armenian Genocide Resolution sponsored by Armenian
American Republican Council on September 27, 1999 at the CRP
convention in Anaheim.

"We are incredibly happy with the results", stated Albert Abkarian,
the Chairman of AARC, " AARC members have worked hard discussing
the issue with many delegates and educating them on the issues.
This is the first time in the California history that delegates of
any political party have passed the Armenian Genocide Resolution in
their general convention. I wanted to especially thank Shawn
Steel, the Vice Chairman of the CRP, for co-sponsoring the
resolution. Mr. Steel also spoke on the floor in favor of the
resolution. With this move, CRP proved, once again, that they
consider Armenian Americans as an important and curtail future of
the Republican Party."

"This is the type of influence we were envisioning when we were
chartered by the California Republican Party as an official
volunteer organization last year." Stated Armen Janian the Vice
Chairman of AARC "We believe that this move will send a signal to
all Republicans that recognizing the Armenian Genocide is important
to all Republicans. This not only an Armenian issue. This is also
a moral issue".

Congressman Ed Royce (R-39th) also spoke in favor of the
resolution. Congressman Royce in a meeting with AARC Board members
stated, "the 1300 delegates to the California Republican Party
convention has unanimously supported the Resolution condemning the
Genocide committed against the Armenian people in 1915. Over a 1.5
million Armenians were killed in that Genocide and Turkey has yet
to acknowledge their culpability in this Genocide. The action
taken at by the CRP and its members is coupled with the action
taken by the United States Congress where we have a resolution
supported by myself, Congressman Redonovich, Congressman Rogan and
others which again calls attention to that Genocide and calls upon
Turkey and puts pressure on the Turkish government to make them
acknowledge what occurred during the Genocide in 1915."

Shawn Steel, Vice Chairman of California Republican Party
co-sponsor of the resolution had the following comments; " It was
time for the party to unanimously show solidarity with the Armenian
Community. I spoke at the Armenian Genocide Memorial in Montebello
on April 24, 1999. I strongly believe that the time has come for
United States Government to officially recognize the Armenian
Genocide. The efforts of people like Albert Abkarian, Armenian
American Republican Council and all other Armenian groups are
crucial in reaching this goal."

Mike DerManuel, the Treasurer of the California Republican Party
and an Armenian American, echoed Shawn Steel's Comments and added,
"This Genocide has gone unrecognized in so many parts of our County
and it is a tragedy. However, the Republican Party is taking a
leading role in making sure that there is recognition of this
genocide because there is still so much pain and so much suffering
even many years after what happened in 1915. So, On behalf of the
California Republican Party, I wanted to thank the Armenian
American Republican Council for all the work they are doing and I
am proud of the resolution we passed at the convention this
weekend."

Also attending the convention and assisting in passing the
resolution were Rita Topalian and Jack Naldjian, Board members with
AARC South, Greg Aghazarian, Chairman of AARC San Juaquin County
and Warren Donian Chairman of AARC San Francisco County.

The following is the actual wording of the resolution supported by
AARC and a photo from the event. You can contact AARC by calling
818-541-4122 or 818-241-0006. You can e-mail at AARC2000@aol.com
or faxing your comments to 818-241-0014. Please visit our web site
at http://www.AARC2000.com and become a member online for free.
The homepage will be redesigned in the next two weeks, which will
include pictures and video comments by attendees at the convention.

Resolution designating April 24th of each year a day of remembrance
of the Armenian Genocide Sponsored by Albert Abkarian, Armenian
American Republican Council

WHEREAS, the Turkish Ottoman Empire massacred one and one half
million innocent Armenian men, women, and children from 1915 to
1923; and

WHEREAS, the Turkish massacre of Armenians was a crime against
humanity and an affront to civilized nations everywhere; and

WHEREAS, despite overwhelming historical evidence, the present day
Turkish government has denied and continues to deny the existence
of the genocide committed against the Armenian People; and

WHEREAS, the California Republican Party is dedicated to the
principal of justice for all people; and

WHEREAS, the many American's of Armenian ancestry now living in
California have asked for the Party to join them in condemning the
Armenian Genocide, all genocides and acts of injustice against
humanity;

BE IT RESOLVED THAT, The California Republican Party hereby
condemns the atrocities committed against the Armenian people from
1915 to1923; and

BE IT RESOLVED THAT, The Party hereby designates April 24th of
each year as a day of remembrance in honor of the one and one-half
million Armenian victims who died at the hands of the Turkish
government.

Signed by the CALIFORNIA REPUBLICAN PARTY