2005_03 Hye Sharzhoom Newspaper March 2005

              March 2005
Hye Sharzhoom
5
U.S. Ambassador to Armenia John Evans Visits Fresno State
Ambassador Evans (left) with Provost and
Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Jeri
Echeverria.
AMBASSADOR, From Page 1
The ambassador's visitto Fresno
State was arranged by B ill Erysian,
Executive Director of the Armenian Agribusiness Education Fund,
which is housed on the university
campus. The AAEF is a non-profit,
independent foundation that was
established to help sustain educational initiatives in agriculture in
the Republic of Armenia.
According to Ambassador
Evans, the primary mission of the
United States in Armenia is threefold: to bring greater stability and
security to the South Caucasus, to
build up the economies of the region in a broad-based and sustainable way, and to foster democratic
institutions.
Ambassador Evans spoke
openly about the many challenges
faced by the Armenian people in
transforming their society, based
on the old Soviet Union, to a more
open and democratic society. He
also discussed some ofthe progress
Armenia is making both economically and
politically.
Dr. Dickran
Kouymjian ,
Berberian Professor of Armenian Studies at
Fresno State and
Director of the
Armenian Studies Program engaged in a conversation with
the Ambassador
aboutArmenia's
role in the South
Caucasus.
Barlow Der
Mugrdechian of
the Armenian Studies Program introduced the Ambassador to the
College/University Partnership
Program between Yerevan State
University andFresno State, which
he has directed for the past five
years. Many ofthe faculty in attendance at the reception had visited
and worked in Armenia as part of
the Partnership Program.
Interim Dean of the College of
Arts Human ities, Dr. V ida Sami ian,
Dean ofthe School of Agriculture,
Dr. Dan Bartell, and Dean of the
College of Math and Sciences Dr.
K. P. Wong were also in attendance. ASO President Hakop
Tataryan and Vice-President
Zhanna Bag das aro v re pre sented the
Armenian Students Organization.
Mr. Robin Phillips, mission director ofthe United States Agency
for International Development
(US ATP) in Armenia, introduced
the guests to his agency's mission
and work in Armenia.
The reception provided an opportunity for guests to interact and
to discuss many interesting ideas
about Armenia.
Later the same evening, Ambassador Evans was interviewed
by Barlow Der Mugrdechian ofthe
Armenian Studies Program for the
"All Things Armenian" radio program, which airs on Saturdays from
noon until l:00Pm on KFSR 90.7.
In a wide ranging discussion, Ambassador Evans candidly discussed
the major areas of cooperation between the United States and Arme
nia.
Ambassador Evans then at-
Left to right: Dr. Matthew Jendian (Sociology), Bill Erysian
(AAEF), Dr. Dickran Kouymjian (ASP), Ambassador Evans.
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A benefit concert for
the Armenian Community
School of Fresno
and the
Armenian Studies Program
at Fresno State
"Beautiful"
-Atom Egoyan
Ararat
"Second to None"
-Stacy Meyn
Global Rhythm Magazine
"Admirably Lyrical"
-Rick Anderson
All Music Guide
Shoror: Armenian Folk Music for Guitar Concert Tour
Performed by Iakovos Kolanian
March 5,2005
7:30 PM
Concert Hall-Fresno State
Tickets: $15 Adults, $8 Students and Children
Critically aclaimed Armenian- Greek classical guitarist Iakovos Kolanian makes
his exciting North American debut in Fresno, with a program of Armenian folk
music arranged for classical guitar. Works by Komitas, A. Barrios, M.C.
Tedesco, and various Armenian folk songs.
tended a town-
hall meeting atthe
Holy Trinity Armenian Apostolic
Church, where he
presented a video
"Report from Ar-
menia-2005," and
held a frank discussion with community members.
The Ambassador
fielded many
questions which
are of vital importance to the community: recognition of the Armenian Genocide, opportunities for
investment in Armenia, and current conditions in Armenia. He
mentioned the important role that
Diaspora Armenians can play in
establishing joint economic and educational projects in Armenia.
The Ambassador stated that he
was impressed by the Fresno community and by the warm welcome
that he received in all ofthe Armenian communities that he had visited.
Ambassador Evans was confirmed by the Senate on June 25,
2004 and was sworn in as the U.S.
Ambassador to Armenia on August 11,2004.
A native of Williamsburg, Virginia, Ambassador Evans studied
Russian history at Yale (B.A.,1970)
and Columbia, where he began a
Ph.D. before joining the Foreign
Service.
His role in coordinating the
Left to Right: Ambassador Evans, Aaron
Sherinian, Barlow Der Mugrdechian (ASP),
and Tom Burns (Management).
American response to the Armenian earthquakeof 1988 earned him
a medal and statement of appreciation from the Armenian government.
On his return to Washington in
1999, Mr. Evans assumed the direction of the State Department's
Office of Analysis for Russia and
Eurasia, winning a Meritorious
Honor Award and the CIA
Director's Exceptional Performance Award. From May 2002
until his appointment to Yerevan,
he directed the Office of Russian
Affairs at the State Department.
Ambassador Evans was accompanied by his wife Mrs. Donna
Evans, former President of the
World Affairs Council of Washington D.C; Mr. Robin Phillips,
Mission Director in Armenia for
USAID; and Mr. Aaron Sherinian,
the Embassy' s Political Officer and
Assistance Coordinator in Yerevan.
Ambassador's Remarks on
Armenian Genocide Welcomed
Staff Report
U.S. Ambassador John Evans, speaking at a public town-hall meeting held in Fresno made a powerful statement about the importance of
Armenian Genocide recognition.
In response to a question from the audience, Ambassador Evans said,
"I will today call it the Armenian Genocide." Ambassador Evans told
community members he had studied the Genocide, having read Prof.
Richard Hovannissian's work on the Armenian Genocide, the compilation of U.S. newspaper accounts of the Genocide, a book about the
Germany's involvement in the Genocide, and the recent Nobel Prize
winning book "A Problem from Hell," about the U.S. response to 20th
century genocides.
The comments on the Genocide were repeated at forums held at
UCLA and UC Berkeley.
"I informed myself in depth about it," said Evans, "I think we, the
U.S. government, owe you, our fellow citizens a more frank and honest
way of discussing this problem. Today, as someone who's studied it...
There's no doubt in my mind what happened."
Evans said he had also consulted with a State Department lawyer
who confirmed that the events of 1915 were "genocide by definition."
Various past and present US administrations and officials have
avoided using the word "genocide" for the Armenian case [President
Ronald Reagan acknowleged the Armenian Genocide in an April 22,
1981 statement], using various descriptive phrases and euphemisms,
instead. Noting that "No American official has ever denied it," Evans
nevertheless said, "I think it is unbecoming of us as Americans to play
word games here. I believe in calling things by their name," but he
pointed out that the official policy ofthe US has not changed."
Evans also emphasized that he believed that the International Convention on Genocide, an agreement approved by the United Nations in
1948 condemning and indicating punishment for the crime genocide,
applies only to events occurring after 1948. "We do not dispute the facts,
but these treaties are meant to apply to future events," said Evans.
"The Armenian Genocide was the first genocide ofthe 20th century,"
said Evans, remarking that since it was the first occurrence, the world
wasn't equipped to respond appropriately. "We made many mistakes
after WWI. They sowed the seeds of WWII."
"I pledge to you, we are going to do a better job at addressing this
issue," said Evans.
However, the United States State Department issued a statement that
Ambassador Evans' remarks reflected his private opinion. A "corrected
version" of the Ambassador's comments can be found at http://
www.usa.am/news/2005/febraary/news022805html.