Author: Frangulian Shushan

BATAILLE D’HISTORIENS SUR LE GENOCIDE DES ARMENIENS

Le Temps, Suisse
7 mars 2007

VAUD. Accuse de negationnisme, le politicien turc Dogu Perincek se
defend avec les thèses en vigueur dans son pays. Temoins a l’appui.

Les debats ont ete calmes, parfois meme un brin soporifiques. Mais
c’est de passion qu’il etait question devant le Tribunal de police
de Lausanne charge de juger l’homme politique turc Dogu Perincek,
accuse de negation du genocide des Armeniens.

Passion des dizaines de Turcs qui se sont presses tôt le matin sur
les marches du tribunal dans l’espoir de trouver une place dans la
salle. Ou de ceux qui etaient venus les attendre a la pause de midi,
enveloppes dans les echarpes rouges et les drapeaux qu’ils avaient
arbores a la place de la Riponne (lire ci-contre). Cette passion,
l’accuse la resume ainsi: "L’accusation de genocide est une insulte
pour mon honneur et mon pays."

Deux discours

L’autre passion s’etait faite plus discrète mais elle habitait aussi
les bancs du public. C’est celle de membres de la diaspora armenienne
en Suisse. Pour eux, la reconnaissance de la memoire du genocide est
aussi vitale qu’elle est insupportable pour la partie adverse. Mais
ils laissent faire la loi, qui desormais semble de leur côte.

D’autant plus peut-etre qu’au fond, ils sont quelques-uns a souhaiter
autant la reconciliation que la revanche. D’un camp a l’autre,
d’ailleurs, on se connaît, on se salue meme parfois.

L’accuse se voit reprocher deux discours, tenus l’un a Lausanne le 7
mai 2005 et l’autre a Opfikon (ZH) le 25 mai. Tous deux s’inscrivaient
dans le cadre des commemorations du Traite de Lausanne par lequel la
communaute internationale a reconnu les frontières que la Turquie avait
reconquises après le demembrement de l’Empire ottoman en 1918. Et ils
s’en prenaient sans nuance au "mensonge international" constitue par
le genocide des Armeniens.

Historien contre historien

Dogu Perincek ne conteste pas la deportation, organisee a
partir d’avril 1915, des Armeniens d’Anatolie vers les deserts de
Mesopotamie. Il ne nie pas davantage que ces derniers soient morts
en masse, de faim ou de maladie ou encore victimes de massacres
deliberes. Mais il ne s’agit pas d’un genocide. C’etait la guerre;
200000 Armeniens s’etaient enrôles dans les troupes russes qui
avancaient alors en Anatolie. De nombreux civils musulmans avaient
ete massacres. C’etait une question de securite et les efforts du
president pour lui faire admettre un autre point de vue ne le font
pas devier d’un pouce.

L’interrogatoire de l’accuse termine, c’est historien contre
historien. Les uns, mal a l’aise d’etre dans un camp devenu dangereux
sur le plan legal, nuancent, relativisent. Les autres prononcent
clairement le mot de genocide. Peu de choses, au fond, les divisent
mais il s’agit de choses essentielles.

Le regard d’abord: peut-on juger avec les instruments juridiques
d’aujourd’hui des evenements qui se sont deroules il y a bientôt un
siècle? Et avec quels instruments? La convention contre le genocide
de 1948, dont la definition, large, est comparee par un temoin a une
boîte de Pandore? La definition plus restreinte donnee a l’article
6 du statut de la Cour penale internationale?

"Des genocides"

Paul Leidinger, professeur a l’Universite de Munster, s’y refuse. A
l’epoque où prend place la deportation des Armeniens, les mouvements
forces de population sont un instrument de la politique. Comme celui
qui a chasse des Circassiens de Russie en Turquie cinquante ans
plus tôt.

Pour Justin MacCarthy, professeur a l’universite de Louisville, si l’on
parle de genocide, il faut en parler au pluriel: a Van et en Cilicie
contre les Turcs, a Trebizonde et a Harput contre les Armeniens.

Mais surtout, font-ils valoir, on n’a pas de preuve d’une volonte
de l’Etat ottoman de liquider la population armenienne. Les fameux
telegrammes du ministre de l’Interieur, Talaat Pacha, produits au
procès de l’assassin de ce dernier a Berlin en 1921? Des faux,
desormais reconnus comme tels. Les attaques de convois? Le fait
d’irreguliers dont beaucoup ont ete immediatement traduits en justice.

Pour la sociologue berlinoise Tessa Hofmann et l’historien francais
Yves Ternon, les choses sont beaucoup plus simples. Le schema
des evenements retrace celui d’autres genocides: designation d’un
groupe comme ennemi interieur, montee de la haine et des violences,
aneantissement, negation. Pour le second, la planification ne fait
pas de doute et peu importent les telegrammes. Les memes evenements se
sont produits, au meme moment, dans des points eloignes de l’Empire. Et
c’est la deportation elle-meme qui a constitue la methode du genocide:
il s’agissait, non de supprimer les Armeniens, mais de les effacer
de la terre où ils vivaient depuis vingt-sept siècles.

Pourquoi les Turcs refusent-ils cette evidence? Parce que l’Etat
kemaliste, qui n’a pas participe au genocide, s’est construit sur le
vide laisse par les Armeniens. Et que cette faute originelle n’a pas
sa place dans une histoire nationale magnifiee.

La penalisation de ce deni est-il de nature a le vaincre ou a
l’aggraver? La question, posee en filigrane par les temoins de
l’accuse, ne figure pas au menu du procès. Les debats reprennent jeudi.

Encadre: Manifestation clairsemee et calme

Environ 200 sympathisants a Lausanne.

Par Nicolas Dufour

La manifestation devait etre sans prise de parole, il y en a eu
quelques-unes. Sans grande agitation. Mardi matin a la Riponne, où
les autorites les avaient cantonnes, quelque 200 partisans de Dogu
Perincek se sont rassembles pour exprimer leur soutien. Et expliquer
aux journalistes le caractère intolerable des pressions exercees sur
la Turquie par les puissances.

Issus d’une foule plutôt âgee, quelques orateurs ont tenu de brefs
discours, avant que l’assemblee n’entonne un chant et ne se prete
aux photos de groupes. Les sympathisants venaient, grâce a six cars,
d’Allemagne, de Belgique ou des Pays-Bas. Quelques-uns se sont ensuite
rendus a Neuchâtel pour suivre des conferences, tandis que vers
midi, environ 150 personnes acclamaient le politicien a sa sortie du
Tribunal. Un deplacement a Montbenon dont les autorites ne voulaient
pas, mais qui s’est deroule dans le calme. Certains participants ne
restaient qu’une journee en Suisse. En baroudeurs de leur cause, ils
annoncaient deja leur participation a de nouveaux rassemblements en
France, lorsque l’Assemblee nationale abordera la question du genocide
des Armeniens.

–Boundary_(ID_B65h9XAW3MYSFy/n2Jn8Dg) —

INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF RUSSIAN LANGUAGE BEGINS IN ARMENIA

ITAR-TASS News Agency, Russia
March 7, 2007 Wednesday 01:26 PM EST

International Year of the Russian language was officially launched
on Wednesday at the Russian-Armenian State Slavonic University.

"This event will give the start to a triumphant march of the Russian
language across the globe," the university’s President, Dr Armen
Darbinian said at a gala ceremony dedicated to the event.

He admitted that at the start of movements for independence many
people in former Soviet republics forgot the advantages that command
of Russian might give them.

"Emergence of the Slavic University here rectified the situation to
a big degree," Dr Darbinian said, adding that it is important to
restore Russian to its former positions in Armenia. "In the first
place, it’s Armenia and the Armenian people that need it."

"A growth of interest to studying Russian has been noticed here
recently," Nikolai Pavlov, Russia’s ambassador to Armenia said at the
ceremony. "This is only logical, since the Russian economy begins
acting more and more confidently as a locomotive force, attracting
other countries to a long-term and mutually beneficial cooperation."

He also underlined the growing integration processes in the
Commonwealth of Independent State where Russian is a traditional
language of communications.

Pavlov handed a certificate of merit to Dr Darbinian, which Russia’s
Federal Agency for Education issued to him as a recognition of his
efforts under Russia’s federal program of support to integration
processes in the CIS in the field of education.

Earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin issued a decree on
holding more than 900 special events in 97 countries as part of the
international year of the Russian language.

BORAT MAKES GLORIOUS
By Bruce Kirkland

Winnipeg Sun, Canada
March 6 2007

New disc loaded with hilarious, often disturbing extras and deleted
scenes

Getting naked has fortunes rising for owner of The Dip

The Borat DVD, out today, brilliantly expands on the warped world of
star Sacha Baron Cohen.

HOLLYWOOD — Today should be named national holiday in glorious nation
of Kazakhstan. Reason simple: Borat make more cultural learnings
of America.

The "more learnings" are contained in a savagely brilliant new
DVD hitting the streets today. According to Borat-speak, this is a
"prerecord moviedisc for purpose domestic viewing of moviefilm."

It brings the surprise comedy mega-hit inside people’s homes, where
those too afraid to see Sacha Baron Cohen’s satire in public can now
laugh and learn in private. The extras include eight deleted scenes
that take the already transgressive film even further. Disturbingly
and hilariously further.

"The DVD is awesome," says Los Angeles character actor Ken Davitian.

Who he? Davitian is the 53-year-old Armenian-American who plays
Borat’s sweaty, fat and droll TV producer Azamat Bagatov.

Davitian, who aced his audition for the role by fooling Cohen and
director Larry Charles into thinking he really was like the character
Azamat, teamed with Cohen on what is now a classic comedy sketch:
A stark naked fight that ended in a non-sexual but wildly repugnant
and funny 69 position.

Cohen has refused to talk about Borat as himself; he remains in
character in public, as he did at the Cannes and Toronto filmfests
in 2006 when Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit
Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan made its mark. In contrast, Davitian
is a jovial fellow who does not mind being himself and talking about
Borat the movie and Cohen the star.

Unlike Azamat, Davitian is articulate and thoughtful. The movie,
he tells Sun Media, is an extreme comedy that ridicules Jews, women,
gays and other groups in order to show the stupidity of anti-Semitism,
misogyny, homophobia and other negative attitudes.

"All I keep telling people is that what we wanted you to do is laugh
and think!"

He says he personally knows "many Jews and Christians and Muslims
who have gone to that movie and come back and said: ‘That was funny!’ "

Working on Borat let Davitian in on the real Sacha Baron Cohen, the
35-year-old Englishman who attended Christ’s College, Cambridge, was
inspired by Peter Sellers and is actually a devout Jew who is helping
to convert his Australian fiancee, actress Isla Fisher, to the faith.

"First," says Davitian, "I think he’s got a great sense of humour,
a great sense of timing. He’s very passionate about certain things
that are for the benefit of people. He’s very into being an advocate
of something.

"He’s very, very smart but he’s also funny and he’s a perfectionist.

It has got to be right and that’s the only way he accepts it. But,
as a person, he’s a very quiet guy. He’s quiet and nice.

"Listen, this guy eats only kosher, grew up going in the summer
to a kibbutz in Israel and is very, very religious. But he is very
committed to a lot of things and one of them is his characters — and
his characters allow him the ability to express everything he feels.

I have to tell you, I am just so happy and so thrilled that he allowed
me into his world."

That world is expanded on the DVD in a terrific way, Davitian says.

The 17-minute featurette, Global Propaganda Tour, shows Cohen & Co.

in action at Cannes and Toronto (including at the now infamous
screening when the projector broke down), as well as in other cities.

In addition, you see the clip of Borat trying "to harvest" Conan
O’Brien’s red pubic hairs for the profit. "It could feed an entire
village for two months," Borat says.

Still in character, Borat clowns around on Saturday Night Live and
on Jay Leno. "What do you say to people who say it’s homophobic and
anti-Semitic," Leno asks. "Ah!" answers Borat, "thank you very much!"

But the real treat is the lineup of extra scenes. Among them is a
dog-pound skit that will creep you out as well as the riveting routine
with a U.S. supermarket manager named Dean McCool. He miraculously
keeps his cool as Borat asks about products in the cheese section. See
this routine and scream with laughter — guaranteed.

"NKR MUST PARTICIPATE IN THE TALKS"
Evika Babayan

Azat Artsakh, Republic of Nagorno Karabakh
March 5 2007

Recently the international conference "The South Caucasus: New Reality,
New Challenges" was held in Armenia. From Nagorno Karabakh the head
of the Civic Action Center NGO Albert Voskanyan was present.

He said the conference was held by the Concord Center for
political and legal research. Political scientists, experts and the
representatives of South Caucasian NGOs were present. In his speech,
the Nagorno-Karabakh representative said with regard to the settlement
of the issue of Karabakh: "Time showed that the Aliyev-Kocharyan talks
are not productive. The talks have lasted for a few years without any
progress. The publics of the sides are unaware of the proposals on
the ground, which gives rise to provocations. I think the government
of Nagorno Karabakh and namely President Arkady Ghukasyan must take
part in the talks. Nagorno Karabakh participated in the talks as
a conflict side until 1997, then for whatever reason it was left
out of the process. The people of Karabakh must be responsible for
their fate. Armenia, Russia and the other stakeholders must help
reach a lasting solution." According to Albert Voskanyan, one of
the essential conditions is the efforts to create confidence and to
overcome adversity between the publics of the conflict sides. "A
lasting solution is possible through reasonable compromise only,"
Albert Voskanyan said.

Baltic News Service
March 2, 2007 Friday 3:06 PM EET

LITHUANIAN, TURKISH PARLIAMENTARIANS TO NEGOTIATE COOPERATION
DEVELOPMENT

VILNIUS Mar 02

A group of Lithuanian parliamentarians to leave to Ankara on Sunday
where they will discuss the cooperation development possibilities
with representatives of Turkish parliament.

The Lithuanian parliament’s board will send for the four-day visit to
Turkey deputy parliamentary speaker, chairman of the European Affairs
Committee, Andrius Kubilius, Foreign Affairs Committee’s Chairman
Justinas Karosas and member of this committee Petras Austrevicius,
Chairman of Human Rights Commitee Arminas Lydeka.

The members of the parliament go to Ankara invited by Turkish
Parliamentary Speaker Bulento Arinco, the parliamentary department of
public relations has reported.

Meetings with Integration to European Union and Foreign Affairs
Committees are scheduled during the stay.

The relations of Lithuania and Turkey were toppled when Lithuanian
parliament passed a resolution in late 2005 by which Turkey was urged
to acknowledge having carried out genocide of the Armenian nation
almost a century ago. As a reaction to this, Turkey responded with a
diplomatic demarche – Lithuanian Ambassador to Ankara Vytautas
Nauduzas had been called to Turkish Foreign Ministry and warned that
the resolution will worsen bilateral relations of Lithuania and
Turkey.

In the Armenians’ words, about 1.5 million Armenians were killed
during the genocide committed by the Ottoman Empire in 1915-1923.
Turkey, which is seeking EU membership, denies the fact of genocide,
saying that Armenians were victims of the war, which claimed the
lives of many Turks as well.

Leader of Lithuanian diplomacy support Turkey’s membership in the
European Union.

TURKEY IS AN ASIAN STATE AND CANNOT BE MEMBER OF EU
By H. Chaqrian

AZG Armenian Daily
02/03/2007

On a press conference February 28, 2007 Internal Affairs Minister
of France Nicolas Sarkozy, who is considered the rival of Jacques
Chirac on the coming presidential elections, declared that Turkey is
an Asian state anc cannot become a member of the EU.

CNN-Turk informs that Sarkozy, speaking of Paris-Washington
relationships stated that the French approach to Turkey’s EU membership
question is quite different of that of the United States. "President
Buch tries hard to involve Turkey, which is already a NATO member,
also in the European Union. He always stresses the importance of
turkey’s membership. My own point of view is different. Turkey as an
Asian state cannot become an EU member. The EU must have its distinct
borders. The existence of this institution without borders can hardly
be imagined, " said the French Minister.

IMPLEMENTATION OF ROTATION SYSTEM AT YSU ASSISTS PROGRESS IN STUDIES

Noyan Tapan
Mar 02 2007

YEREVAN, MARCH 2, NOYAN TAPAN. As a result of the rotation system
already being implemented towards students entered by the free
system of the Yerevan State University in the 2006-2007 academic
year, about 35% of students studying at the paid system were moved
to the paid system, and the same number of pupils were moved to free
education system. As YSU Rector Aram Simonian stated at the March 1
press conference, owing to implementation of this order, the students’
progress considerably rose. But, in his words, this new order is being
implemented with difficulties and faults. The YSU Rector marked out,
especially, the students’ ignorance concerning this problem, who do
not pay attention to that point when entering the higher educational
institution, and in future already presented protests to the university
administration. He also added that students entered without the right
of delay can not make use of the possibility of this rotation system,
what, in A.Simonian’s opinion, hinders students having had great
progress to continue education in the paid system and get education
benefit from the state.

VARTAN OSKANIAN’S MEETINGS IN IRELAND

ArmRadio.am
01.03.2007 10:24

February 28 in Ireland RA Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian met with
his Irish counterpart Dermot Ahern.

Greeting the guest, the Foreign Minister of Ireland underlined that
the first visit of the Armenian FM provides an opportunity to discuss
he perspectives of bilateral cooperation, especially considering the
similarities existing between the two peoples and states.

During the meeting the interlocutors presented to each other the
foreign policy priorities and the stances of the countries on different
international issues.

Reference was made to the issue of settlement of conflicts the
parties are worried about. Minister Ahern presented the process of
resoution o fthe North Ireland issue, emphasyzing the recent positive
developments. For his part, Minister Oskanian presented the results
of the last round of negotiations on the Karabakh conflict settlement.

The interlocutors also dwelt on the opportunities of cooperation
within international organizations.

Later RA Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian met with the Head of the
Joint Committee on European Affairs of the Irish Parliament John Deasy.

Minister Oskanian delivered a speech in the Institute of European
Affairs of Dublin and visited the Chesterbit library where 130 medieval
items of Armenian mosaic are kept.

TRILATERAL AGREEMENT IN SPHERE OF SPECIALIZED SECONDARY EDUCATION SIGNED IN ARMENIA

Arka News Agency, Armenia
Feb 26 2007

YEREVAN, February 26. /ARKA/. A trilateral Agreement in the sphere
of specialized secondary education was signed in Armenia by the RA
Ministry of Education and Science, UNDP and the Centre of educational
programs supported by the World Bank.

Levon Lazarian, the RA Minister of Education and Science, said that
within the Agreement, Armenia will be supported in the issues of
integrating specialized secondary education and high school.

Armenia’s long-term and short-term economic stability can appear
under threat without realizing certain reformation stages as well as
experienced and professional potential.

"Under the EU cooperation, we put the stress on the reforms in
the sphere of specialized secondary education, and having a close
cooperation with the UNDP, we elaborate serious long-term programs
in this direction," he said.

In her turn, UN Permanent Coordinator in Armenia Consuelo Vidal
expressed confidence that the strengthening of the human potential by
means of education has an essential importance meaning for Armenia’s
further development.

Kori Udovicki, UN Deputy Secretary-General, Director of UNDP’s Regional
Bureau for Europe and CIS, said that the country’s harmonic and stable
development is not possible without the development and formation of
the education.

She said that they welcome the methods and policy of the RA Government
concerning the long-term programs and investments into the sphere of
education, which will serve as basis for a prosperous future of the
coming generations.

Within the frames of this program, educational institutions will be
renewed, and the necessary equipment for implementing the educational
process has already been obtained and provided to the specialized
secondary institutions. Normative acts and education criteria will
also be elaborated. Quality criteria have been formed, curriculums
and textbooks meeting the modern requirements have been elaborated.

icBerkshire, UK
Feb 23 2007

Disabled man and Armenian wife reunited
Feb 23 2007

A DISABLED man and his Armenian carer wife – who faced an uncertain
future separated by thousands of miles – have finally been reunited.

Keith Ackrill, 61, was reunited with wife Svetlana, 50, at Heathrow
Airport on Friday after she returned from Armenia having been granted
a spouse’s visa by the Home Office last week.

The couple are now back together in their St Chad’s Road home in
Maidenhead having endured a turbulent time since January, when
Svetlana returned to Armenia to apply for the visa.

Asked how it felt to be back together Keith – who is paralysed down
one side – told the Express: "Fantastic – it’s how it should have
been in the first place."

He said Svetlana’s return was the end of an ordeal and recalling
picking her up from the airport, he commented: "She looked lovely."