SARKOZY: TURKEY MUST COME TO TERMS WITH ITS PAST
PanARMENIAN.Net
October 7, 2011 – 13:38 AMT
PanARMENIAN.Net – France recognized the Armenian Genocide as a death
sentence passed on a whole nation by the Ottoman Empire, French
President said.
“Turkey must come to terms with its past by recognising the Armenian
Genocide,” Nicolas Sarkozy stressed during the unveiling of Auguste
Rodin’s Jules Bastien-Lepage sculpture in Yerevan.
The President repeated the word in Armenian: “Tseghaspanutyun”.
FRANCE SERIOUSLY CONSIDERS ITS PARTICIPATION IN PROGRAM TO BUILD NEW NPP IN ARMENIA AND IN OTHER BIG STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION PROJECTS
arminfo
Friday, October 7, 12:43
We are seriously considering our participation, jointly with Russia,
in the project to build a new nuclear power unit in Armenia, French
Foreign Trade Secretary Pierre Lellouche told ArmInfo’s correspondent
on Friday.
Lellouche is in the delegation accompanying French President Nicolas
Sarkozy during his two-day visit to Armenia.
He said that the participation of France in the construction of the
unit is a serious investment project, which will be discussed during
the meeting of the French and Armenian presidents. He noted that
Russia’s contribution is also important here.
Lellouche was unable to specify how much exactly France may invest
in the project. He said that the negotiations are just starting and
it is early yet to speak about any specific figures.
He said that France is also considering participation in a project
to build rail and motor roads.
To note, the cost of the project to build a new unit of the Metsamor
Nuclear Power Plant is estimated at $4bln-5bln. The capacity of the
new reactor will be 1,060MW.
Prime Minister of Armenia Tigran Sargsyan said earlier that Armenia
gives very high priority to this project as the new unit will be built
on the basis of a new technology with the participation of Russian,
French and American colleagues. So, it will meet the highest modern
standards.
In the near future Armenia will hold an international conference of
investors and donors with a view to raise money for the project.
The launch of the project has been delayed a bit because of the tragic
events in Japan.
ANKARA SLAMS SARKOZY FOR GENOCIDE RECOGNITION CLAIMS
Tert.am
07.10.11
Turkey’s Minister for European Integration Egemen Bagish has slammed
French President’s recent remarks on the Armenian Genocide recognition.
According to the Turkish news agency Cihan, Bagish has criticized
Nicolas Sarkozy for assuming the role of a historian.
“Both Europe and France, and the entire world would gain more benefits
if Sarkozy thought about the EU’s future instead of acting as a
historian,” the Turkish official said, characterizing the French
leader’s move as a speculation ahead of his presidential campaign.
Visiting the Armenian Genocide memorial in Yerevan’s Tsitsernakaberd
Park on Thursday, Sarkozy said his country would adopt the bill
penalizing the denial of the Armenian Genocide, in case Turkey refuses
to admit the historical fact.
STEPHANE RICHARD: “ORANGE IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT PILARS OF FRENCH-ARMENIAN RELATIONS”
Story from Lragir.am News:
Published: 18:29:04 – 07/10/2011
This morning Orange Flagship store hosted Stephane Richard, Chairman
and CEO of France Telecom-Orange, Eric Besson, French Minister
of Industry, Energy and Digital Economy, Pierre Lellouche, State
Secretary in charge of Foreign Trade and Thierry Mariani, Secretary
of State for Transport, who are in Armenia as part of the delegation
accompanying Nicolas Sarkozy, the French President.
During the visit they were introduced to the activities of Orange
and innovations that the company has introduced to Armenian mobile
telephony and broadband internet. Members of French-Armenian business
club headed by Armand Pinarbasi, the president of the club, were also
present at the meeting.
Stephane Richard, Chairman and CEO of France Telecom-Orange, said:
“I am happy and proud of being in Armenia and representing the
company which is contributing with its investments and activities to
the ecenomic and technological developpment of Armenia and is one of
the most important pillars of the French-Armenian relationships”.
Earlier in the morning, Stephane Richard visited the headquarters of
Orange Armenia and met the managing committee as well as whole staff,
was introduced to the business life of the company and presented the
global ambitions and strategy of Orange France Telecom Group. During
the meeting he also noted that he is proud that one of the masterpieces
of the renowned French artist Auguste Rodin will be inaugurated in
the heart of Yerevan, with the support of Orange, which will always
symbolize the friendship of French and Armenian people.
Today Stephan Richard also attended the official inauguration of the
statue by the presidents of the two countries.
CHARLES AZNAVOUR’S HOUSE MUSEUM CEREMONIALLY OPENS
ARMENPRESS
OCTOBER 7, 2011
YEREVAN
Presidents of Armenia, France Serzh Sargsyan and Nicolas Sarkozy
together with world famous singer Charles Aznavour participated today
in the opening of house-museum of Charles Aznavour. The guests toured
in the museum and got acquainted with the presented samples.
The house museum of Charles Aznavoru situated in front of Ararat is
the gift of the Armenian people to their great son.
Speaking to reporters chief architect of Yerevan Narek Sargsyan said
the construction of the building started in late 2007. “It is not
a museum in its classical sense and it is not a house, it has an
interesting symbol”, Narek Sargsyan stressed.
“The very architectural idea was entrance to the homeland, to the
country of Ararat”, he said. The building is five-storeyed, the
two upper stores are the places to live in. There are two bedrooms,
kitchen, study with all its conveniences.
The first part of the first floor will serve as a showing room,
the other part is the reception hall and a concert hall for 120 people.
The architect also informed that during these two years many materials
have been transported to the museum from Charles Aznavour Fund –
biographic books, awards, photos.
ARMENIA BEATS MACEDONIA AT 4:1
Tert.am
07.10.11
Armenia’s national football team has beaten Macedonia at 3:0 at a
Euro-2012 B Group qualifier.
According to the Armenians sports news website Armsport.am, the first
goal was scored at the 28th minute by Markos.
The second one was made by Henrikh Mkhitaryan at the 34th minute. The
third goal was scored by Gevorg Ghazaryan at the 68th minute.
Macedonia’s Vanche Shikov scoared their first goal at the 86th minute.
But soon Sarkisov Arthur made Armenia’s forth goal, paveing the way
to a match with Ireland.
ARMENIAN GENOCIDE MEMORIAL REMINDED SARKOZY JEWISH HOLOCAUST MUSEUM
ARMENPRESS
OCTOBER 7, 2011
YEREVAN
“I was in Berlin on Sunday and spoke with Mrs Merkel and it was the
very place to speak about recapitalization. I think it would have been
right to give these questions in France”, President of France Nicolas
Sarkozy said at a joint news conference with the RA President Serzh
Sargsyan in response to a question of a French reporter about the
recapitalization of banks. “I am now in Armenia, in a country that
suffered a lot, and now I want to speak about the issues of Armenia”,
he said.
Nikolas Sarkozy noted that he is very excited with the visit to the
Armenian Genocide memorial “which, beyond doubts, is one of the most
beautiful in the world”.
“It reminded me all those small museums of Yad Vashem, Kigali that
testify about the genocide that took place there”, Sarkozy pointed out,
expressing gratitude to the President of Armenia for the visit to the
memorial. “These images will remain in my soul forever. I understand
why millions of Armenians go there. It is a place of soberness and
excitement”, President of France stressed.
“That is the reason why I do not answer to your question about banks.
Everything has its time. I believe that now is the time for Armenia
and Armenians”, he added.
NICOLAS SARKOZY: IF TURKEY FAILS TO RECOGNIZE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE, FRANCE WILL ADOPT A LAW CRIMINALIZING ITS DENIAL
arminfo
Friday, October 7, 01:33
If Turkey fails to recognize the Armenian Genocide, France will adopt a
law criminalizing its denial, President of France Nicolas Sarkozy said
while visiting the Armenian Genocide Memorial in Yerevan on Thursday.
He said that collective denial is a more serious thing than individual
denial, and if Turkey fails to recognize the Armenian Genocide,
France will be forced to undertake other initiatives, like adoption
of a law criminalizing its denial.
The French President laid flowers at the Memorial. He visited the
Armenian Genocide Museum, where he wrote “France does not Forget”
in the Book of Memory and planted a fir tree at the Alley of Memory.
The French Parliament recognized the Armenian Genocide in 2001,
but the Senate has not yet approved the law criminalizing its denial.
Sarkozy is visiting Armenia in the framework of his two-day regional
tour.
ARMENIA SHOULD USE PROGRESSIVE TAXATION – VAZGEN SAFARYAN
Tert.am
07.10.11
Armenia should also use the progressive taxation system, Vazgen
Safaryan, Head of the Armenian Manufacturers Union, has said.
“I think the progressive tax should be applied in Armenia too so
that there will not be people who become billionaires, make minimum
charity and become gods,” said he.
According to Safaryan, during economic crisis pensions, benefits and
salaries should be raised but not at the expense of enlarging the
tax burden but rather making sure taxes are levied properly.
Further, he said that the ratio between the gross domestic product
and the tax incomes will make 17.36% as stipulated in the draft of
the 2012 budget while for developing countries like that figure is
put at 23.25%.
The World Banks and the International Monetary Fund have always drawn
Armenian government’s attention to the low level of taxation and may
therefore reduce the amount of loans Armenia receives, Safaryan added.
FORMER NKR FOREIGN MINISTER SAYS ANC POLITICAL ACTIVITY WANES
PanARMENIAN.Net
October 7, 2011 – 14:57 AMT
PanARMENIAN.Net – Armenian National Congress (ANC) opposition bloc is
past the peak of its political activity, according to former Foreign
Minister of Artsakh Republic.
As Arman Melikyan told a news conference in Yerevan, “the ranks of
ANC supporters are thinning out, with even those nearest to Congress
leader Levon Ter-Petrossian disillusioned.”
“However, I don’t believe any of the groups which left ANC ranks
stand a chance of becoming a serious political force,” Melikyan said.
At Sept 30 rally, Armenian National Congress (ANC) opposition bloc
leader Levon Ter-Petrossian announced 7-day-long round-the-clock
protest actions, with supporters putting up tents at Liberty Square.
“Whether to continue actions will be decided in a week,” ANC leader
noted.