Author: Harutyunian Christine

La Nouvelle Republique du Centre Ouest – edition INFORMATIONS
GENERALES
17 août 2005

Cinema, television, politique : Charly Koubesserian maquille la peau
et l’ego;
Il a maquille Pompidou, Mitterrand, Charles de Gaulle pendant un
septennat. Jean-Paul Belmondo est son ami depuis trente-sept ans.
Charly Koubesserian est LE maquilleur du cinema et de la television.
Rencontre avec ce fils d’apatride armenien, au repos dans sa maison
poitevine.

RENCONTRES ESTIVALES

De notre redaction de Chauvigny

Dans sa ” Ptite maison “, c’est ecrit dessus, Charly Koubesserian
respire. Le maquilleur renomme du cinema et de la tele a voyage sur
les cinq continents. Mais c’est ici, dans le Poitou, qu’il se sent le
mieux. Au bord de la Gartempe, sa residence secondaire ne paye pas de
mine a l’ecart de Saint-Pierre-de-Maille (Vienne). Avec son epouse
Marie-France dont il aime a dire qu’elle est ” son impresario et son
subconscient “, ils vivent modestement. Loin des palaces dores et du
champagne millesime.

” J’arrive du tournage du telefilm Le Grand Charles, de Bernard
Stora, sur la vie de Charles de Gaulle. Il sortira sans doute en
janvier prochain. J’etais malade. J’ai maquille avec 39° de fièvre et
j’ai perdu douze kilos. Il n’y a qu’ici que j’arrive a me refaire une
sante. ”

Charly, 74 ans, a meilleur mine a present. Il en a vu d’autres après
cent quinze films et soixante feuilletons televises a son actif.

Charly Koubesserian (fait chevalier des Arts et des Lettres il y a
deux ans) a ete photographe, vendeur de robes sur les marches. Puis
suivi une formation de maquilleur a l’Idec, dont il est sorti major
de sa promotion. Direction le cinema. Elève d’Aran Chakatany sur le
tournage du film L’Athlète aux mains nues, il est contraint de
remplacer le maître tombe malade. Ses compositions de maquillage sur
le vieillissement (le visage de l’acteur evolue de 20 a 80 ans), font
forte impression. En 1949, Georges Kelin l’embauche pour Quasimodo
avec Anthony Quinn. Depuis, il n’a jamais range sa trousse. Il
raconte dans le livre L’Armenien, chez Bayard, son enfance difficile
marquee par le genocide armenien et son incroyable parcours entre
plateaux de cinema et de television.

” Le meilleur souvenir ? Ma rencontre avec Jean-Paul Belmondo. C’est
mon bâton de marechal, mon ami. ” Sur son torse, le pendentif en or
est formel : ” A toi, mon ami “, signe Jean-Paul. Bebel est le
parrain de son fils Cedric. Et il est partout. Son siège de tournage
trône ostensiblement autour de la table. L’acteur francais le plus
casse-cou de tous les temps a meme eu droit a sa chambre poitevine
lors d’un sejour d’une semaine. Les photos sont omnipresentes. Charly
n’est pas peu fier de montrer celle où il pose, peinard, entre Bebel
et Alain Delon.

” Avec Jean-Paul, la rencontre a eu lieu au Central a Paris il y a
trente-sept ans, lors d’un match de boxe. Sa carrière demarrait très
fort et il s’etonnait de ne pas avoir eu droit a mes services. J’ai
commence a le maquiller pour le film Ho de Robert Enrico… et nous
ne nous sommes jamais quittes. ”

Soixante-trois films, des barbes, moustaches et un nez de Cyrano plus
tard, cette amitie est inoxydable.

L’artiste-peintre des visages, dont la carrière professionnelle a ete
une incroyable succession d’opportunites, a maquille aussi les
politiques, dont trois chefs d’Etat francais. ” J’ai maquille
Pompidou, la femme de l’empereur du Japon et, par accident, Francois
Mitterrand. Il etait premier secretaire du PS et il trouvait qu’il
avait mauvaise mine. Il m’a recu chez lui a Paris comme si j’etais un
maquilleur d’Hollywood ! J’etais venu pour une journee et je suis
reste cinq jours. ”

Un autre president a fait appel a son talent : Charles de Gaulle. ”
Il fallait faire très vite, il n’etait pas patient : huit minutes
maximum. Generalement, quand il croisait deux fois ses grandes
jambes, il en avait marre ! ” Quatre fois par mois pendant un
septennat, de 1961 a mai 1968, Charly a prepare ” Mon general “.
Quitte a voir sa famille menacee par l’OAS.

” Charles de Gaulle n’etait pas patient :huit minutesmaximum ”

” Aujourd’hui, tous les elus attendus sur un plateau de tele sont
maquilles. Certains le font par coquetterie, d’autres pour eviter que
le visage soit deteriore a l’image. ” L’electeur se niche donc aussi
sous le grain de peau !

C’est un fait, Charly Koubesserian a côtoye les grands de ce monde.
Mais il a toujours refuse la grosse tete.

” L’humilite et la sympathie naturelle sont de precieux atouts. La
vie est trop courte pour se prendre au serieux. Pour un fils
d’apatride armenien, cette carrière est une benediction de Dieu [il
est catholique, NDLR]. Je suis un peu l’ambassadeur d’un peuple
armenien qui a paye 1.500.000 morts de ne pas avoir ete musulman. ”

Le maquilleur le sait, dans la vie, certaines cicatrices sont
impossibles a estomper.

–Boundary_(ID_yWCZrwX0NUGPqtkqECOlyg)–

Saakashvili Crackdown Credited With Influx Of Armenian Tourists

Radio Free Europe, Czech Rep.
Aug 18 2005

President Mikhail Saakashvili’s radical shake-up of the once corrupt
Georgian traffic police has been responsible for a surge in the
number of Armenians spending their summer holidays in Georgia,
a government-connected Armenian businessman said on Wednesday.

According to Vladimir Badalian, a co-chairman of the Armenian-Georgian
Association of Business Cooperation, at least 10,000 Armenian tourists
have traveled to Georgia’s Black Sea region of Ajaria this year and
many more are likely to do so next year. He said they were attracted
by not only the relatively low cost of the Ajarian seaside resorts
but also by the virtual eradication of police corruption on Georgia’s
roads.

“You can enter Georgia and drive all the way to the Black Sea coast
without any problems,” Badalian told RFE/RL. “Nobody will stop you
on the way. As a result of that, 10,000 vacationers went to Ajaria
by their own cars.”

The Georgian traffic police were notorious in the past for their
corruption and in particular routine extortion of bribes from the
drivers of Armenian cars and buses venturing into Georgian territory.
Saakashvili disbanded them and formed a new, Western-style road patrol
service from scratch shortly after taking office on the back of the
November 2003 “rose revolution” in Tbilisi.

Saakashvili welcomed last week the influx of holidaymakers from
Armenia, similarly attributing it to his crackdown on police
corruption. Speaking to Armenian journalists in the Ajarian capital
Batumi, he said he hopes their number will grow tenfold next year.
“We should also develop links to organize visits to both countries,
so that people who go to Armenia also come to Georgia and vice versa,”
he said. “There should be no border obstacles.”

Saakashvili also called for closer economic times between the two
neighboring nations. “I see with delight how rapidly the Armenian
economy is developing. Annual growth in Armenia is about 10 per cent,”
he said, according to the Georgian Imedi TV. “I think that there are
many things we should learn from Armenia, for example how to organize
the banking system, a system for micro-loans, a cooperative system
in agriculture and the export of agricultural produce.”

“I think Armenia emerged from this crisis earlier and Georgia is now
enjoying rapid economic growth. Developing without each other would
not be rational, natural or right,” he added.

Badalian, whose daughter is married to the older son of President
Robert Kocharian, was also in Batumi last week along with a group of
businessmen from Armenia. He said they are interested in investing
in the local tourism infrastructure and were encouraged to do so by
local authorities.

Badalian also noted growing Armenian business interest in Georgia’s
broader economy. “The manufacturing sector of Georgia has lagged behind
that of Armenia,” he explained. “Many businessmen here, for whom the
Armenian market is too small, are now looking for new markets.”

Concept of National Strategic Program for Export Promotion drafted

18.08.2005 16:32

YEREVAN (YERKIR) – A concept of the National Strategic Program for
Export Promotion has been drafted on the initiative of the Armenian
Revolutionary Federation (ARF) Bureau and the party’s Armenia Supreme
Body, Armenpress reported.

Ara Nranian, ARF Bureau’s economic advisor, says the program was
drafted during a 1.5- year period and was sent to international and
local experts for consideration.

“We expect this concept to get the government’s approval and hope
a comprehensive program to boost export would be adopted based on
this document,” Nranian said, adding that economic growth rates in
Armenia are expected to shrink in the coming years since the domestic
resources for such growth are limited and the only way to keep the
country’s economy growing is to increase exports.

The document covers all the aspects of the export. One of the sectors
with great export potential is agriculture, Nranian says.

DRAFT CONSTITUTIONAL REFORMS CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR FORMATION OF
PERFECT SYSTEM OF LOCAL SELF-GOVERNMENT IN ARMENIA: ARMENIAN VICE
SPEAKER

YEREVAN, AUGUST 16. ARMINFO. There are many gaps and contradictions
in the provisions of the draft constitutional reforms in Armenia
regulating the rights and powers of the local self-government bodies.
Head of the NGO Democracy Vardan Poghosyan made this statement today
at discussions on the draft constitutional reforms organized by the
union of Communities of Armenia.

He stressed the provision providing the executive power with a right to
dismiss heads of communities elected by the people, which contradicts
to the European Charter on local self-government. Petrosyan also
emphasized the provision regulating the formation of community budgets,
He thinks the Constitution must have a provision providing for the
communities choosing the mechanisms of formation of their budgets
and the ways to use the funds. At the same time, Petrosyan thinks the
Constitution must also stipulate that the communities are responsible
for effective fulfillment of budgetary funds.

In his turn, Vice Speaker of Armenian Parliament Tigran Torosyan
stated that The draft constitutional reforms create opportunities for
formation of a perfect system of local self-government in Armenia. He
thinks there are problems which must be settled at a legislative
level. “However, to create a perfect state, we should be guided both
by the written ands not-written laws,” Torosyan says.

To note, the draft will be considered in the second reading by the
Armenian Parliament on August 29 in the course of an extraordinary
sitting of the parliament. In Nov 2005 the document will be set to
a national referendum. Adoption of the document requires 1/3 of the
total number of electors in the country that is some 800,000 citizens.

FM Welcomes Decision Allowing Karabakh Armenians to Vote in Elections

Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
Aug 17 2005

Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov has welcomed the Central Election
Commission (CEC) decision allowing Armenian residents of Nagorno
Karabakh to participate in Azerbaijan’s November 6 parliamentary
elections.

“The decision will be of great importance for the settlement of the
Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict”, the Minister told reporters.

Touching upon the meeting with his Armenian counterpart Vardan Oskanian
due Moscow on August 24, Mammadyarov said that 7 to 9 ‘elements’
relating to the conflict resolution will be discussed. He did not
elaborate, but said the ‘elements’ cover restoration of Azerbaijan’s
territorial integrity and return of internally displaced persons home.

Why Turkey is not in US plans
By Burak Bekdil

Kathimerini English Edition
Tuesday August 16, 2005

Ankara has little relevance within emerging energy map of world and
Washington’s intentions to shape it

For over half a century the USA has deemed Turkey a staunch ally. The
end of the Cold War sealed the beginning of the end of the once-solid
alliance.

Since the start of the Iraq war, there has been every indication of
mutual mistrust, as well as a visible decay in bilateral ties.

It’s perhaps too simplistic to blame the corrosion on Turkey’s refusal
to allow US troops to use Turkish soil as a launch pad for an attack
against Iraq. There are broader, more realistic (and less sentimental)
reasons why Turkey does not appear in American plans for the future.

The USA today cannot get any reading on the position of Prime Minister
Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s “unreadable” governance. They think the Turks
are keeping their cards “close to their chest.” Then again, to the
Turks the United States appears to be an object of hysterical fear and
hatred when viewed from the other side of the Atlantic. The new fight,
disguised as efforts to promote democracy in non-democratic states,
will be for energy.

Although the USA would welcome it if Turkey decided to participate
in Washington’s new war on terror at any level they wish, it is hard
to imagine, today, that the Americans want anything but amicable and
business-like relations with Turkey, and at a minimum.

According to well-informed US sources, Turkey has not exerted any
influence in Central Asia on behalf of the effort to support US
anti-terrorism operations and promote democratic reform. Turkey is
sympathetic to the Shanghai Group, which the US thinks solely exists
to advance Chinese and Russian interests against the allied efforts
to stabilize Central Asia.

There is much evidence that this seemingly new conceptual framework
for dealing with the Islamic fundamentalist movement will represent a
large change in how the US will do business around the world. There are
a number of important trends that must be combined into any foreign
policy strategy, and the new Pentagon formulation indicates a “sea
change” in US operations and incorporates these various trends.

The steady rise in energy prices is a trend that will probably continue
until most nations are flat on their backs. Oil should be at $70/bbl
by this winter. In 2006, one may look for prices in the $90 range,
and a deep worldwide depression should set in by 2008. The United
States is quite aware of this trend. Already, drastic conditions are
developing in numerous countries. Indonesia has a shortfall of 20
percent in oil usage which the US thinks is a disaster. The US is
having troubles on its southern border too.

Mounting pressure Mexico is a major source of oil for the US market
and has announced that its largest oil field, El Cantarell, has
reached its peak of production. That field accounts for 62 percent of
Mexican production and is now depleting at a rate of 14 percent per
year. Conservatively, the US absorbs approximately 3 million Mexican
refugees, and the pressure will probably increase.

The stability of China and its international intentions is a major
US preoccupation. Africa is collapsing, and the US intends to protect
the West African oil fields.

Europe, according to US sources, is disarming itself and is of little
to no use beyond its own borders. The US is currently withdrawing
the bulk of its armed forces back to US territory (two divisions are
returning from Germany, leaving only one brigade; three brigades are
returning from South Korea, and probably about 70-90,000 personnel
will withdraw from the Middle East by the end of 2006).

The era of the stabilizing influence of large numbers of US forces
stationed around the world is probably over. The USA is retrenching
and providing its main support to what it deems “reliable/democratic”
allies. And that would be Britain, Australia, New Zealand, Japan,
India and Israel. Otherwise, it is trying to reach out to nations
that wish to assist in anti-terrorist and stabilization efforts on
their own behalf. Turkey does not appear to be in either group.

Also, the US thinks certain places must be protected one way or another
without fail. These are the critical geopolitical pressure points:
that would be Egypt, the Malacca Strait, Panama, the Horn of Africa,
South Africa, US territorial waters and approaches.

Access to Middle Eastern oil is extremely important, but not as
important as one might expect. If it comes to priorities, says one
US expert, and it soon will, West Africa, Mexico, the North Sea,
Trinidad, Canada, Australia, and Japan are more important than what
the United States is doing in the Middle East today.

“Now,” the expert says, “if we had reliable allies in Europe and
Turkey, things would look differently. That is not the case. So,
at some point, the problem will belong to Europe and Turkey without
major US participation. If you want oil and stability, you go get it.”

He continues, “Frankly, with oil at $90-150 a barrel and even more,
Kurdish Iraq, Armenia, Kazakhstan, and the Azeris may be more important
than Turkey.

In a world of extremely high-priced oil and diminishing supplies,
who knows, even Turkey might find that its eastern provinces are a
bigger liability than they are worth.”

All that should ring alarm bells in Ankara. It may, soon. But there
is little Turkey can do in an emerging energy map of the world and
US intentions to shape it – especially at a time when the Americans
think Turkey has been cast adrift by US policy.

AGBU Press Office
55 East 59th Street
New York, NY 10022-1112
Phone: 212.319.6383, x118
Fax: 212.319.6507
Email: [email protected]
Website:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Monday, August 15, 2005

AGBU Organizes Workshop at 58th UN DPI/NGO Conference in New York

For the second consecutive year, AGBU will jointly sponsor a
workshop with the International Council of Nurses and Felician
College at the United Nation’s Annual DPI/NGO (Department of Public
Information/Non-Governmental Organizations) Conference from September
7 – 9, 2005 at UN Headquarters in New York City. The topic of this
year’s conference, “Our Challenge: Voice for Peace, Partnerships and
Renewal,” advances the UN’s commitment to the Millennium Development
Goals (MDGs) that outline a strategy to alleviate extreme poverty,
provide universal education, ensure gender equality, combat AIDS and
other diseases, encourage environmental sustainability and develop
global partnerships for development.

The Wednesday, September 7th workshop, established and organized
by AGBU UN Representative Adrienne Alexanian, is entitled,
“Successful Development Programmes in Education and Healthcare through
Partnerships.” It will focus on the interrelated issues of technology
and education in advancing development in healthcare.

Alexanian will serve as moderator for the workshop and the three
featured speakers will be: Mary Norton, Professor and Associate Dean
at Felician College (USA); Rita Balian, Founder of Armenian American
Wellness Center (Armenia); and Micaela Iovine, Senior Programme
Officer, Global Programme, Council for International Exchange of
Scholars. Featured speakers will discuss existing partnerships with
governments, educational institutions, the private sector and the
World Bank.

The UN DPI/NGO Conference is the largest annual gathering of
NGOs. This year over 2,700 representatives of 1,000 NGOs from 120
countries will attend the three-day event. Jean Ping, President of
the 59th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, will address
the delegates during Wednesday’s opening session. Kofi Annan, United
Nations Secretary-General, Gordon Brown, Chancellor of the Exchequer
(UK) and Shirin Ebadi, President, Human Rights Defence Centre (Iran)
are some of the other confirmed speakers for the conference. For
more up-to-date information about the 58th UN DPI/NGO Conference,
pleases visit:

Established in 1906, AGBU () is the world’s largest
non-profit Armenian organization. Headquartered in New York City
with an annual budget of $26 million, AGBU preserves and promotes
the Armenian identity and heritage through educational, cultural and
humanitarian programs, annually serving some 400,000 Armenians in
35 countries. AGBU has been a registered NGO at the United Nations
since 1989.

Miami Herald
Aug 14 2005

PROFILES IN DESIGN

Cachet personified

Interior designer capitalizes on life’s unexpected twists

BY DAISY OLIVERA

If life experience can influence one’s creativity, then Courtney
Cachet is true to her word that she can deliver any style of interior
decor. From clean-lined modern to bold, colorful whimsy to
multilayered ethnic, she does it all with the panache.

The bubbly New York native is also a general contractor who speaks
several languages and has appeared on home and garden television
shows.

”Everything in my life has happened unexpectedly,” she says. She
grabs every opportunity that life puts in her path, made possible by
her rich background. ”Life is the best education,” she says with a
wink.

”I’m first-generation American. My mother was born in Dublin,
Ireland, and my father, who has an Armenian background, was born in
Marseilles in the south of France,” she explains.

ON WALL STREET

Cachet’s family spent Christmases and summers in France and by early
childhood she had traveled all over Europe. At 20, she decided to
switch from college to Wall Street, where she worked as a stockbroker
and commodities broker.

She made the switch out of boredom. ”I needed more of a challenge
because I was always business-minded and good at sales even though I
was always into art and design,” Cachet says.

Ten years ago, another opportunity led to three months of modeling
while living in Japan, adding to her roster of languages, which now
include Spanish, French and Armenian.

Five years ago, wanting to return to her financial roots, she sent
her resume to what she thought was a financial company in Miami.
”When I showed up for the interview, I realized my colossal error.
They were starting a contractor referral company which pre-screened
contractors to take the guesswork out of choosing one. I apologized
for misunderstanding and left,” she says.

They offered her the job anyway. She accepted, reminding herself that
she had grown up with her ”grandfather and father building and
fixing anything and if I taught myself languages, I can teach myself
anything.”

Cachet met with clients on high-end commercial and residential
projects throughout South Florida, including million-dollar homes in
Pinecrest, Coral Gables and Aventura. She coordinated big additions
like family rooms, master bedroom suites and bath redos, even
terraces and landscaping. ”I can kill a plastic plant, but I know
what looks good,” she deadpans.

FREE ADVICE

Cachet found that clients were asking her opinion on the interiors.
“After giving away a lot of free advice, I created Cachet Home
Remodeling Consultants,” which she calls “a one-stop shop from the
remodeling to the decorating.” She also took and passed the general
contractor’s exam in 2003.

Yet another twist would take Cachet into television. In 2004 she got
a phone call from HGTV. ‘They were looking for a contractor to redo
homes in the D.C. area for a show about home projects gone wrong. I
said, ‘I can do that!’ ”

She auditioned and was immediately cast. One show turned into half a
dozen more. After taping three episodes, as often happens, the show
was put on hold indefinitely. That experience led to Cachet appearing
on Telemundo (speaking Spanish like a native), the DIY Network and
close to 20 appearances on the South Florida Today Show on NBC-6
giving do-it-yourself tips.

“I realized my calling was to be a decorator, but the contractor
knowledge is a good base to have,” she says. To date, Cachet’s work
has snowballed just from word of mouth, with a niche created from
the burgeoning condo market.

“I have the most fun when the client only has a couple thousand dollars
for a room. I can structure a design plan from the very low to the very
high end. Good design is now available to everyone in different price
ranges. Everyone can have a beautiful home and I can help them do it.”

New railway to link Turkey , Georgia , and Azerbaijan

JTW
9 Aug 05

ANKARA – As thanks for the Azeri government’s support for ending the
embargo against the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), it was
announced yesterday that Turkey would establish a long-awaited
railroad link between the two countries, a crucial part of the ancient
“silk road” between Europe and Asia.

The transport ministers of Turkey , Azerbaijan and Georgia will meet
this week in Istanbul to discuss the establishment of the Kars (
Turkey )-Akhalkalaki (Georgia)- Baku ( Azerbaijan ) railway line.

The railway was agreed on during a meeting in May between the three
countries’ presidents at the Baku-Tiblisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline’s
opening ceremony.

The railway is interpreted by the Armenians as an economic blow dealt
by the Turkish side. Armenians want to open a Kars-Gymri ( Armenia )
railway to help make Armenia a railroad transit country between the
East and West. The Armenian lobby in the U.S. has pressed Turkey to
open the railroad. The latest move by the Armenian lobby culminated in
a draft bill submitted to U.S. Congress by Congressmen Joe
Knollenberg, Frank Pallone and George Radanovich, all members of
Congress’ Armenian caucus, calling on the U.S. government to press
Ankara to open a Kars-Gymri railway.

The Kars-Akhalkalaki line, which will link with the already existent
Akhalkalaki-Baku, will be 98 km, 68 of which will pass through Turkish
territories and the remaining 30 km through Georgia . The cost of the
project is expected to be nearly $500 million. The railway is expected
to be in operation by 2008.

The New Anatolian

Statistics committee posts CIS first-half industrial output figures

Interfax news agency
9 Aug 05

MOSCOW

The highest growth in industrial output among the CIS countries in the
first half of 2005 by comparison with the same period in 2004 was
recorded in Azerbaijan where it was 20.1 per cent. This information
was made available today by the CIS Interstate Statistics Committee.

Industrial output went up 12.8 per cent in Georgia on the first-half
figure for 2004, 10.5 per cent in Belarus, 8.9 per cent in Tajikistan,
7.0 per cent in Kazakhstan, 5.3 per cent in Armenia, 5.0 per cent in
Ukraine and 4.6 per cent in Moldova.

In Russia industrial output went up 4.0 per cent year-on-year in the
first six months.

Industrial output declined by 9.8 per cent in Kyrgyzstan. The CIS
statistics committee has no figures for Turkmenistan or Uzbekistan.

Average industrial production growth for the CIS in the first half of
the year was 5.0 per cent (in the same period last year it was 9 per
cent). GDP also went up 5.0 per cent on average across the CIS in the
first six months.

GDP in the first six months went up 16.5 per cent in Azerbaijan, 10.2
per cent in Armenia, 8.9 per cent in Belarus, 8.1 per cent in
Tajikistan, 6.8 per cent in Georgia, 4.0 per cent in Ukraine and 2.4
per cent in Kyrgyzstan.

Goods and services for the basic types of economic activity showed a
5.1-per-cent rise in Russia in the first half of the year.