Author: Badalian Vardan

REVUE DE PRESSE
La voix de Méri Mouradian à l’espace culturel Paul-Éluard – Blainville-sur-Orne

Méri Mouradian, en concert samedi soir à l’espace culturel. Elle est
peu connue dans la région caennaise en dehors des élèves auxquels elle
donne des cours de chants, à l’office municipal des affaires
culturelles (Omac).

Pourtant, malgré son jeune ge, 30 ans, elle a déjà beaucoup de
métier. Elle tombe dans la musique à l’ge de 6 ans en Arménie, avec
la rencontre d’un professeur de musique qui trouve sa voix
exceptionnelle. Elle chante dans toutes les fêtes de sa région. À 12
ans, elle chante dans les églises apostoliques d’Arménie où elle
commence à gagner un peu d’argent comme c’est la tradition dans le
pays.

À 17 ans, elle entre au conservatoire supérieur de musique d’Erevan. À
20 ans, elle arrive au conservatoire régional de musique à Caen pour
compléter ses études musicales pendant deux ans. Elle monte à Paris
pour travailler avec la grande chanteuse Jane Rhode qui est l’épouse
du chef d’orchestre Roberto Benzi, l’enfant prodige des années 50,
mondialement connu. « Un grand monsieur avec qui j’ai beaucoup
progressé et suis devenue une vraie musicienne. Avec lui on peut rayer
le mot approximation de notre répertoire, le résultat doit être clair
et net, raconte la jeune femme, mariée et mère de deux enfants. La vie
de musicien itinérant est incompatible avec la vie de famille que j’ai
choisi plutôt qu’un plan de carrière. »

Pour garder quand même sa voix au top, elle donne des cours de chant
dans différents endroits. Marie-Hélène est l’une de ses élèves : «
Méri sait nous mettre à l’aise, on vient avec les chansons que l’on
aime, on essaie, on réussit souvent, pas besoin de connaître le
solfège. Grce à elle, on progresse au-delà de ce qu’on peut imaginer,
un vrai défi personnel. » Elle a préparé ce concert du samedi 5 mai
avec Frédéric Charpin lors de diverses soirées, c’est un récital
éclectique où sont mêlées musiques et variétés puisque ce concert
traverse plusieurs siècles. On passe allégrement de Puccini à
Gainsbourg ou Cabrel en passant par les Beatles et les gospels. «
Toutes les musiques me passionnent. »

Samedi 5 mai, 20 h 30, concert de Méri Mouradian, à l’espace culturel
Paul-Éluard, rue du Stade. Entrée : 4 et 8

dimanche 13 mai 2012,
Stéphane ©armenews.com

FRANCE
Erghezem Toutouzian « mort pour la France »

Mardi 8 mai à 10h a l’hotel de ville de Cavaillon a eu lieu une belle
cérémonie qui a mis à l’honneur, un étranger.

Venu de Turquie, né à Karpouth le 3 avril 1908 ,fuyant le génocide ,
Erghezem Toutouzian se refugie comme tant d’autres rescapés en France
.Il se marie en 1935 avec Markridi Arzoumanian dont il a 3 enfants et
meurt le 7 juillet 1944 ,au cours d’une rafle ,fusillé par la Gestapo
à St Denis en Bugey (Ain). Mais sur son acte de décès rien ne
mentionne qu’il est mort pour la France car il est étranger .Son
épouse, domiciliée à Cavaillon (Vaucluse) est déclarée veuve de
guerre, ses 3 enfants sont pupilles de la nation, elle décède en 2004.

Monsieur Lucien Racchini, président de l’association des amis du
Général De Gaulle, conseiller municipal de la ville de Cavaillon veut
corriger cette injustice et fait des démarches depuis 1961 pour
honorer la mémoire de Monsieur Erghezem Toutouzian.

« Il n’était pas normal que cette mention ne lui soit pas accordée »
dit-il .En 2008, nouveau refus, mais c’était sans compter sur la
ténacité de Monsieur Racchini et le 30 janvier dernier il obtient
cette mention grce à son courrier adressé à Gérard Longuet ministre
de la Défense et des Anciens Combattants .

Lors de l’émouvante cérémonie du 8 mai a été dévoilée l’inscription du
nom de Monsieur Toutouzian sur une plaque dans l’Hotel de Ville de
Cavaillon ainsi que sur sur le monument aux morts !

Monsieur le Député-Maire de Cavaillon Jean-Louis Bouchet a invité
l’association Franco-Arménienne d’Avignon et sa Région pour fêter cet
évènement en présence de Monsieur Racchini et de la Famille de
Monsieur Toutouzian.

Nous adressons nos plus profonds remerciements à Monsieur Racchini ,
d’ailleurs il sera notre invité d’honneur à toutes nos manifestations
et nous l’attendons le 15 juillet à notre fête champêtre au Domaine de
la Souvine à Avignon !

Véronique BRUNA

Président de l’association Franco-Arménienne d’Avignon et sa Région

dimanche 13 mai 2012,
Stéphane ©armenews.com

BAKO SAHAKYAN STRESSED THE IMPORTANCE OF THE YOUTH’S ROLE IN STRENGTHENING THE MOTHERLAND-DIASPORA UNITY

News from Armenia and Diaspora – Noyan Tapan
11-05-2012

On May 11 President of Artsakh Republic Bako Sahakyan received a group
of young people who had arrived in Artsakh from the Diaspora and the
Republic of Armenia by the initiative of the “Birthright Armenia”
foundation.

Bako Sahakyan stressed the importance of the youth’s role in
strengthening the Motherland-Diaspora unity and preserving the Armenian
national identity, as well underlined the necessity of their frequent
visits to Artsakh.

The Head of State rated high the activities of the “Birthright Armenia”
foundation in this direction, considering invaluable the experience
the organization has accumulated in this field.

During the meeting the President also answered to various questions
raised by the young, the Central Information Department of the Office
of the Artsakh Republic President informs.

COORDINATION COUNCIL OF ARMENIAN ORGANIZATIONS IN FRANCE CONGRATULATES FRANCOIS HOLLANDE

news.am
May 12, 2012 | 01:04

The Coordination Council of Armenian Organizations in France
congratulated President-Elect Francois Hollande and expressed hope
that he will promote the interests of the country and the nation,
Nouvelles d`Armenie reports.

“The Coordination Council of Armenian Organizations in France received
Francois Hollande on April 24 in Paris during the ceremony dedicated
to the Armenian Genocide, knows his disposition against denial and
does not doubt that his disposition will soon lead to another law on
that concept which he promised,” the statement of the Coordination
Council reads.

TANZILA RUSTAMKHANLI: “IRAN DOESN’T PROTECT AZERBAIJAN’S INTERESTS BUT WANTS AZERBAIJAN TO MAKE CONCESSIONS TO IT” – PHOTO

APA
May 11 2012
Azerbaijan

Tanzila Rustamkhanli: “iran Doesn’t Protect Azerbaijan’s Interests
But Wants Azerbaijan To Make Concessions To It” – Photo

Chairwoman of Azeri-Turkish Women Union held a press conference on
event organized by Belgian Senate

Baku. Ramil Mammadli – APA. Chairwoman of Azeri-Turkish Women Union
Tanzila Rustamkhanli held a press conference on the event held In
Belgian Senate on topic “Roles of women in the difficulties and
problems in the South Caucasus”, APA reports.

Rustamkhanli said that the above-mentioned event was realized on
May 3-4 by member of Belgian Senate Dominique Tilmans and through
the financial assistance of State NGO Support Fund under the
Azerbaijani President. Rustamkhanli said that this event was held
at her initiative: “Europe always supported Armenia. The atmosphere
established in this conference was in our favor. Even the OSCE Minsk
Group’s former co-chair Bernar Fassier informed about the current
situation on Nagorno Karabakh and 7 occupied regions on Azerbaijan’s
map and noted that Nakhchivan was blocked”.

Rustamkhanli criticized the policy of Iran regarding Azerbaijan and
Azerbaijanis and expressed her protest against the calls to boycott
“Eurovision” song contest in Azerbaijan: “Iran renders any assistance
to Armenia and says that it will continue its help. It is interesting
that Iran doesn’t protect Azerbaijan’s interests but wants Azerbaijan
to make concessions to it.”

Rustamkhanli also commented the rally held in Tabriz against
Azerbaijan: “We would like our brothers from our native Tabriz city
to hold a great rally in the day of Khojaly tragedy, but not to join
the rally against cultural event.”

Human rights defender Novella Jafaroghlu also made a speech in the
conference and spoke about the significance of the visit.

BURCUOGLU: INSISTENCE ON ‘GENOCIDE’ BILL TO HAMPER TURKISH-FRENCH TIES

Trend
May 11 2012
Azerbaijan

Francois Hollande winning the French presidency from Nicolas Sarkozy
has increased concerns in Ankara since Hollande is regarded as
being more deeply engaged in the Armenian “genocide” bill than his
predecessor Sarkozy, although he is expected to be more flexible on
the issue of Turkey’s EU bid, Today’s Zaman reported.

“Insistence on the Armenian ‘genocide’ bill might take the relations
between Turkey and France into a stalemate. Carrying on in the same
manner [on the issue of the ‘genocide’ bill], the two countries
will end up confronting each other,” said Tahsin Burcuoglu, Turkey’s
ambassador to France, voicing concerns over Hollande’s interest in
and support for the Armenian genocide issue similar to that of former
French leader Sarkozy.

In 2007 Sarkozy vetoed the opening of five EU negotiating chapters
with Turkey. Ankara hopes this veto will be removed during the new
French presidency. Burcuoglu considered the canceling of the veto very
important for the progress of relations between the two sides. Noting
that other EU countries also are behind the veto of Turkey’s bid for
membership, Burcuoglu said, “If France’s veto is lifted from the five
negotiating chapters, then other EU members will not be able to hide
behind this excuse.” He further added: “We want to hope that this
period [Hollande’s presidency] will be favorable for the development
of Turkish-French ties. We want to believe that past difficulties
will remain in the past.”

Burcuoglu mentioned that in the coming days he will meet with
Hollande’s team, underlining that there are huge differences between
the views of Hollande and Sarkozy.

Commenting on an anti-Turkey declaration made by Sarkozy in 2007,
Burcuoglu said, “Hollande did not state that there was no place for
Turkey in Europe.”

In 2007, President Sarkozy said in a prime-time interview on the TF1
and France 2 television stations that he opposes Turkish membership
because “Turkey is not in Europe. It’s in Asia Minor.”

Believing that socialist leader Hollande will be involved in the
process of Turkey’s EU bid from an objective point of view, Burcuoglu
said, “Hollande used the expression that this process [of Turkey’s
EU bid] will be of long duration.”

Burcuoglu also mentioned that during the new French presidency two more
Turkish consulates are planned to open, adding that during Sarkozy’s
government two consulates had been planned for the cities of Nantes
and Bordeaux. “In the initial phase, the Sarkozy administration gave
its consent for the consulates to be opened; however, later, due
to the tense relations between the two sides, the process stalled,”
said Burcuoglu. He stated that the Armenian “genocide” bill that came
about during the Sarkozy period not only tightened solidarity among
the Turkish community but also quintupled the number of voters of
Turkish origin in France wanting to participate in the elections.

There are currently four Turkish consulates operating in France,
with plans to increase that number to six.

1120 FILMS FROM 70 COUNTRIES COMPETE FOR PARTICIPATION IN YEREVAN INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

Vestnik Kavkaza
May 11 2012
Russia

1120 from from 70 countries in Europe, America, Asia and the Caucasus
region compete for participation in the Ninth International Film
Festival in Yerevan “Golden Apricot”, said the agency “Novosti-Armenia”
referring to the founder of the festival Harutyun Khachatryan. “I
am very pleased that in addition to well-known in the cinema world
countries of Europe, Latin America and Asia, the festival also raised
interest among the countries of our region,” said Khachatrian on
Friday at a news conference.

The director added that we need to pay attention to the Iranian,
Turkish, Georgian, Afghan cinema and films from the CIS countries.

According to Khachatrian, the “Golden Apricot” could become a kind of
fund of the best examples of regional cinema,so that foreign filmmakers
could come there to see it. Khachatryan also noted that the program
of the festival will be a rich and diverse. In addition to the four
major competitive nominations – “The international feature films,”
“International Documentary Film”, “Armenian Panorama” and “Apricot
Stone” (Koriz), there are surprise for the cinema-lovers in the
non-competition program sections “Yerevan premiere”, “Retrospective”,
“Tribute.”

Festival Artistic Director Susanna Harutyunyan said that “Golden
Apricot”also includes courses “Journalists without Borders” with
the participation of Dutch experts, where Armenian and foreign
journalists will prepare an article for the daily edition of the
festival “Golden Apricot”.

The selection of applications will be completed until May 31.

International Film Festival “Golden Apricot” Yerevan is held since
2004 The Ninth International Film Festival “Golden Apricot” will be
held in the Armenian capital from 8 to 15 July 2012.

‘HERE’ MOVIE REVIEW: ENTRANCINGLY ROMANTIC
David Lewis

San Francisco Chronicle

May 11 2012
CA

Romantic road-trip drama. Directed by Braden King. With Ben Foster,
Lubna Azabal. (Not rated. In English and Armenian. 126 minutes. At
Bay Area theaters.)

“Here,” an entrancing, meticulously crafted film about a solitary
American cartographer whose life gets re-mapped when he meets
a spirited Armenian artist, doesn’t offer up a ton of narrative
surprises, but there is plenty going on the screen to keep you engaged
– and visually stimulated.

That’s because the makers of this romantic road-trip drama have such
a keen eye for landscapes and subtle human emotions. The scenery
alone would be worth the price of admission, but this is not just a
series of pretty pictures. Director Braden King and cinematographer
Lol Crowley have a special way of making Armenia palpable, dream-like
and inviting, yet un-chartered and mysterious.

Ben Foster (excellent) and Lubna Azabal (luminous) inhabit their
characters with such a natural grace that they could be mistaken for
documentary subjects. Whether the role is small or large, the acting
across the board is utterly convincing.

The film features several hypnotic, experimental set-pieces (many
narrated by Peter Coyote). Most of these brief, “explorer” interludes
are more visually arresting than intellectually forthcoming, but the
point here is not to wrap things up in a nice, little package.

Truth, as they say, is all conjecture.

Director Braden King will conduct a Q&A following the 6:30 p.m.

screening Friday at the San Francisco Film Society Cinema, 1746
Post St.

David Lewis is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer.

[email protected]

BAKU VIEWS ARMENIAN PRESIDENT’S VISIT TO NAGORNO-KARABAKH AS PROVOCATION

Interfax
May 10 2012
Russia

Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan’s visit to an occupied Azeri
territory was an act of provocation and will harm the negotiations on
settling the conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, Azeri Foreign Ministry
press secretary Elman Abdullayev said.

“[Sargsyan’s visit to the town of Susa in Nagorno-Karabakh] can be
described as a provocation, which shows the absence of political will
to settle the conflict in Armenia and will only harm the negotiating
process,” Abdullayev told journalists on Thursday.

“The world supports Baku’s position, and no one should doubt that
Azerbaijan will restore the country’s territorial integrity,” he said.

Sargsyan took part in the celebrations of the WWII victory in the
self-proclaimed Nagorno-Karabakh Republic on May 9.

IRAN, ARMENIAN FOREIGN MINISTERS MEET ON SIDELINES OF NAM MEET IN EGYPT

Islamic Republic News Agency
May 10 2012
Iran

[translated from Persian]

Ali Akbar Salehi, Iran’s foreign minister, who is in Egypt for
the ministerial meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), met
with Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandyan and stressed on
cooperation and avoiding misunderstandings between neighbouring
countries, IRNA reported.

Salehi said that this trend will result in a friendly approach between
the countries, and bring peace, stability and calmness to the region.

The Armenian foreign minister invited Salehi to Yerevan and termed his
own recent visit to Tehran positive and constructive. Edward Nalbandyan
also pointed to the upcoming Baghdad negotiations (Iran-P5+1) and hoped
that the result of this meeting will be positive, the report added.