Author: Kalantarian Kevo

Irish Times
Oct 7 2011

Focus moves to Armenia

AFTER ANOTHER high-scoring win, this time at home to Macedonia, it is
increasingly hard to ignore the idea that it is Armenia who have built
up the greater head of steam than Ireland ahead of what, barring a
simply unimaginable upset by Andorra in Moscow, will be a showdown for
second place at the Aviva stadium on Tuesday night.

Having watched his side keep an eighth successive clean sheet, though,
and maintain his unbeaten competitive record with Ireland on the road,
it hardly came as a surprise when Giovanni Trapattoni declared last
night’s performance in Andorra a job well done.

`Yes, I’m pleased,’ he said, `I asked the team to start the game with
100 per cent determination, not to underestimate their opponents, and
I think that after 10 or 15 minutes we could have had two or three
goals.

`Robbie Keane had a chance almost immediately tonight but once we got
to 2-0 there was a sense of security about the result and it meant
that I could make changes and not have to worry so much about second
yellow cards.’

Stephen Ward picked one up and will miss Ireland’s last group game
after the Czech referee decided he had dived in the second half when
challenged as he moved into the area.

The defender certainly looked to make the most of the tackle and delay
his fall until he was inside the area but the Italian, understandably,
opted to side with Ward.

`It’s a great pity and I think the referee has made a little mistake
because it was a foul. I asked Stephen and he said the player touched
him in the challenge, I’m not sure if it should have been a penalty.
It’s a pity but he played well but we have other options.’

The Armenians seem set to test the Irish in a way that Andorra were
simply incapable of. But they will need to win while a point would get
Trapattoni’s men to the play-offs where, if things go their way in
other groups, they could yet be seeded.

The veteran coach was dismissive of the suggestion that he might ask
his players to dig in from the outset and play for the solitary point.

`No, it would be the wrong thing to do.

`We play with this mentality, you saw it this evening, and even after
the first half tonight I told the players that they had to maintain
the approach they had taken in the first few minutes, we can’t change
the way we play.

`We are not Manchester United but we can have the same mentality; we
always wish to win and we always want to go far. With that mentality
we can build a very strong team.

`Now, we have to think about the fact that we have to maintain the
attitude and mentality that we have shown here again tonight.

`We have played well again but we have to look to improve always. We
have not really conceded a chance tonight but we will have to work
hard on Tuesday night to make sure we do not allow our opponents any
chances.’

Asked about the late charge for a top two finish by the Armenians, he
smiled and tacitly acknowledged that they have done enough to be
considered a very serious threat in advance of their visit to Dublin.

Ultimately, though, that was one to be worried about tomorrow.

`We had someone there but right now I only want to think about Ireland.’

Russia’s Putin promotes ‘Eurasian Union’ in rare article

20:23 – 04.10.11

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin called for the unification of
post-Soviet states into a “Eurasian Union” in an article published
Tuesday on the announcement of his planned return to the Kremlin.

According to the Hurriyet Daily News, Putin’s article in the Izvestia
daily outlining a grand project to integrate post-Soviet states into
closer cooperation comes five months before polls that can put him at
the helm of foreign policy decisions for at least six years.

The front-page piece, titled “New Eurasian integration project: a
future that begins today”, sings praises to Russia’s economic
integration with Belarus and Kazakhstan.

But, Putin writes, “we set a more ambitious goal to go to the next,
higher level of integration – the Eurasian Union,” which would “build
on the experience of the European Union and other regional
coalitions.”

Russia has pursued for several years closer economic cooperation with
ex-Soviet partners, forming a customs union with Belarus and
Kazakhstan in 2009 and later developing it into what it calls a
unified economic zone.

Putin called the project a “historic breakthrough” for all post-Soviet
states, which would break barriers for business dealings as well as
people looking for a job.

“The idea is not to recreate the Soviet Union in some form,” Putin
writes, adding that the Eurasian Union would combine human and
economic capital of its members to “ensure the stability of global
development.”

The political potential of this project, said Putin, is to “create
real conditions to change the geopolitical and geoeconomic
configuration of the entire continent and have an undoubtedly positive
global effect.”

The plan to create a Eurasian Union raises questions as to Russia’s
future within the World Trade Organisation, which has been a permanent
issue on the foreign policy agenda of President Dmitry Medvedev.

Russia is the biggest economy still outside the trade organisation,
and has pursued membership for many years.

Tert.am

ARFD Doesn’t Care for Ter-Petrosyan’s Opinion

Story from Lragir.am News:

Published: 15:55:45 – 03/10/2011

The secretary of the ARF Dashnaktsutyun parliamentary group, Artyusha
Shahbazyan, dwelling on Ter-Petrosyan’s statement that the ARFD will
not support Robert Kocharyan because it is a historical party and
knows its historical responsibility and will not assume responsibility
for the bloodshed, said, `It is his opinion, let him keep it.
Ter-Petrosyan’s opinions have never been a reference point for the
ARFD. I am not saying that we decide anything. But if we do, we will
do it without caring about what Ter-Petrosyan thinks about the ARF
Dashnaktsutyun because one day he may say one thing, and the next day
he may say another thing.’

Rue89, France
7 oct 2011

Aznavour, Djorkaeff et Segara avec Sarkozy dans le Caucase

Signalé par Emmanuelle Bonneau

Le chanteur Charles Aznavour, le champion du monde 1998 de foot Youri
Djorkaeff et la chanteuse Hélène Segara accompagnent le président
Nicolas Sarkozy pour sa visite-éclair dans le Caucase (jeudi en
Arménie, ce vendredi en Azerbaïdjan et en Géorgie, pour laquelle le
Président intervint à l’été 2008, contre la Russie).

Le premier est Franco-Arménien, les mères du deuxième et de la
troisième sont d’origine arménienne.

The Voice of Russia
Oct 9 2011

Armenian President meets Russia’s Sberbank delegation

On Saturday, Armenian president Serzh Sargsyan discussed prospects of
cooperation with the delegation of Russia’s state saving bank Sberbank
headed by German Gref.

The parties stressed stronger economic ties between Russia and Armenia.

On the occasion of 20th anniversary of Armenia’s independence German
Gref decorated Ruben Vardyan, head of the Russian company Troika
Dialogue with the order of Saint Mesrop Mashtots for contribution in
the development of cooperation between Armenia and other countries.
(RIAN)

Islam Online
Oct 9 2011

Head of Islamic Party of Azerbaijan jailed for 12 years

Islamonline.net_ News Agencies

Baku’s Court for Serious Crimes handed heavy jail sentences to the
Head of the Islamic Party of Azerbaijan (AIP) Movsum Samadov and six
other members of the organization on Friday 07 Oct after charging them
with subversion, IRIB reported.

Samadov was sentenced to 12 years in jail while Ruhullah Akhundzada,
the head of the party’s branch in Astara, south Azerbaijan, received a
prison sentence of 11 years and six months. Similarly, Deputy Chairman
of the AIP Vaqif Abdullayev and party member Seyyed Feramarz Abbasov
have been condemned to 11 years in jail. Firdovsi Mammadrizayev and
Dayanat Samadov, less senior party members, were given 10-year prison
terms, while Hojjatoleslam Zulfiqar Mikailzada, a religious activist
received a five-year sentence.

The Azeri party members were detained in January after protesting
against the government-imposed ban on Hijab in the country’s secondary
and high schools.

Many civil society activists have slammed the Azeri government for
bringing trumped-up charges against AIP members such as trying to
organize terrorist acts, possessing illegal weapons, and attempting to
subvert the state and seize power unlawfully. “All charges against
members of our party have no grounds. We appeal to the government to
stop ordered repressions,” the party said in a statement.

As the verdicts were announced, police forces moved to scatter dozens
of AIP supporters and the relatives of the defendants who had convened
outside the court, wounding some and detaining at least 15 others.

In January, Baku attempted to undermine the pro-hijab movement in the
former Soviet republic by incarcerating Muslim activists. Hundreds of
people have joined protests against the state-sponsored prohibition of
wearing Islamic headscarves in schools since the Azeri Education
Minister Misir Mardanov announced the controversial ban in December
2010.
Around 98 percent of Azerbaijan’s nearly 9 million population is
Muslim. The government under President Ilham Aliyev is strictly
secular and has close relations with the West. A ban on Islamic dress
code is not included in Azerbaijan’s constitution.

Islamic Party of Azerbaijan

The Islamic Party of Azerbaijan was founded in 1991 in the town of
Nardaran, which lies northeast of the capital Baku on the Absheron
Peninsula, and is a lone stronghold of conservative Shi’a Islam in
staunchly secular and religiously progressive Azerbaijan, and was
officially registered in 1992. Its registration, however, was
cancelled in 1995, and has not been revoked since.

It advocated stronger ties with Iran and even proclaiming the state of
Azerbaijan into an Islamic Republic as it rejected the ideas of
pan-Turkism, regarding them as dangerous and utopian. Nevertheless it
was also an Azerbaijani nationalist party and was known for its fiery
nationalist and anti-Armenian rhetoric and frequently advocated a
military solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict which is currently
under Armenian occupation. It was fiercly opposed and advocated a ban
of proselytism and Christian missionary activities. The party was also
anti-USA, anti-Zionist and anti-EU and supported Hezbollah and its
leader Hassan Nasrallah.

In January 6, 2011 the leader of the Islamic Party of Azerbaijan (IPA)
Mohsun Samedov made an inflammatory speech at the meeting of the
Assembly of the IPA, attacking the Azerbaijani government.

IPA strongly opposes the ban on hijab in schools and called it a blow
to the morality of the Azerbaijani people. This is the message in a
speech by the leader of the Islamic Party, Mohsun Samedov, given at a
party meeting, which has been posted on YouTube. Click here for video
in Azeri

Samedov rejected the assertion that rallies in support of the hijab
were organized by the foreign forces. He further criticized the
policies of the authorities, which have led to the emigration of up to
4 million people. “Injustice and bribery have reached such a scale
that that even funds allocated for dredging the Kura river were
embezzled and the homes of thousands of people were flooded. At that
very time there was a festival of flowers, organized in Baku, which
cost millions,’ said Samedov.

Over the past 5 to 7 years, experts have repeatedly pointed out that
corruption and unjust distribution of the country’s income from oil
and suppression of democratic freedoms will inevitably lead to the
spread of religious sentiment and strengthen the position of radical
Islam

Islamists’ Strength in Azerbaijan

Devout Muslims have become increasingly assertive in Azerbaijan over
the past year, as protests about an informal ban on hijabs in schools
attest. But this growing assertiveness does not mean that Islamists
are coalescing into an influential political force in Baku.

A couple of powerful factors are working against Islamists in
Azerbaijan. For one, secular traditions are firmly entrenched. Perhaps
more importantly, Islamists in Azerbaijan are deeply divided.

At present, three major Islamist groups can be observed: politically
active Shi’as, who are inspired by the example of the Islamic Republic
of Iran; Saudi-inspired Salafis, essentially modern-day Islamic
puritans; and Turkish missionary groups, most notably the Fethullah
Gülen movement.

Azerbaijan is a nation where 65 percent of the population adheres to
the Shi’a branch of Islam. Even so, a majority of the Azerbaijani
population views politically active Shi’as with suspicion due to their
close association with Iran. The overtly pro-Iranian Islamic Party of
Azerbaijan operates on the margins of the country’s political
spectrum, and public indifference to the arrest of its leader, Movsum
Samedov, testified to the party’s negligible public appeal.

>From Libya to Syria and Armenia, Turkish-French rivalry is back
Sunday, October 9, 2011

Last week on Oct. 7, the French Interior Minister signed a conceptual
agreement with his Turkish host Idris Naim Sahin on the joint struggle
against terrorism. Opening the door for operational cooperation as
well, the agreement is the first of its kind for Turkey; France has
similar, even more detailed ones with a limited number of countries,
including the U.S.

But as Turkish and French ministers were preparing for the agreement
ceremony in the morning, French President Nicolas Sarkozy was on his
way to Armenia to make bitter statements that Turkey should admit the
allegation that massacres against Armenians in the last years of the
Ottoman Empire amounted to genocide.

It was like an ultimatum since Sarkozy was giving a deadline to Ankara
by the end of this year, or else. A reporter for Hurriyet asked him in
Yerevan whether he had a schedule in mind for official recognition of
the alleged genocide by France, since it was Sarkozy himself who
blocked a resolution by the French Parliament over the past four
years.

No, he did not have any schedule in mind, but he implied the
approaching of the 100th year of the infamous campaign of 1915 that
led to the cleansing of the native Armenian population of Turkey
before the end of WWI that triggered the War of Liberation in which
the Ottoman Empire ended as well.

Turkish Foreign Minister Davutoglu’s reply to that the next day was
interesting: France should first face with its colonialist past in
Africa before attacking Turkey’s past.

This was a mind-opening correlation to make. Like a Freudian slip, in
return to what Sarkozy had said in his tour of Georgia, Armenia and
Azerbaijan to mark their 20th year of independence from the former
Soviet Union, Davutoglu recalled the refreshed rivalry in the Arabian
North Africa, or Maghreb, almost a century ago.

This year marked the 100th year of Turkish withdrawal from Libya and
Algeria to leave the rule of the lands to Italy and France
respectively. Perhaps that was the reason why Sarkozy, having British
Prime Minister David Cameron as a companion, rushed to Benghazi a day
before Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan visited the Libyan
city.

It can be speculated that Sarkozy sees Erdogan as an obstacle in front
of his country’s Maghreb comeback. Perhaps it was a subconscious
reflex that pushed Sarkozy to the Turkish and Russian backyard of
Caucasus to disturb Turkey’s balances there.

There is of course another theater that could cause another
Turkish-French face off in the region: Syria. The Turkish southernmost
province of Hatay, where camps are set up for those who escaped from
the Beshar al-Assad regime, joined Turkey from a French mandate in
1938 through a plebiscite. France would not like to see Turkey
increase its influence again in the Mediterranean basin almost after a
century of keeping a low profile after the WWI defeat in 1918.

It seems that the two NATO members are likely to get into more
political confrontation, which has a tendency to escalate, unless the
two countries find new cooperation areas, not necessarily security but
especially economics, which would bind their interests together.

Nicolas Sarkozy’s Armenian flirtation

October 8, 2011 – 20:05 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – French President Nicolas Sarkozy’s visit to Armenia,
Azerbaijan and Georgia was an unexpected blow for Turkey, which was
bewildered by an ultimatum to recognize the Armenian Genocide till the
end of the year.

Sarkozy challenged Turkey to face up to its past and threatened to
pass the law that would make denying the Genocide a crime. `I am
hopeful that the people and government of Turkey will be wise to
recognize this crime against humanity. If Turkey came to acknowledge
the dark pages of its history, both Armenia and France would eye it as
a gesture of peace and reconciliation, which can never be based on
denial,’ he said, adding that he expects to see the Armenian Genocide
recognition by Turkey during his presidency.

Another shock for Ankara was that `France doesn’t see Turkey in the
European Union.’ `Turkey is a kind of bridge between the East and the
West. Being a part of Asia Minor, it has an important role in the
world but this role is not for the European Union. I have been of the
opinion for a long time and there are no reasons to change it,’ Mr.
Sarkozy told a press conference in Yerevan.

It’s noteworthy that Azerbaijan was the first to react to the French
President’s statements on the Armenian Genocide recognition and
opening of the Armenian-Turkish border. `Each of these issues is a
separate aspect of international policy,’ argued Ali Hasanov, head of
the political department at the Azerbaijani presidential
administration. `Azerbaijan always supported Turkey’s interests both
in the South Caucasus processes and international affairs,’ he added.

Turkey gathered its wits on the next day. Foreign Minister Ahmet
Davutoglu told a news conference: `Those who will not be able to face
their own history for having carried out colonialism for centuries,
for treating foreigners as second-class people, do not have the right
to teach Turkey a history lesson or call for Turkey to face its
history.’

Davutoglu said Turkey and Armenia `were working together on ways to
normalize ties and Sarkozy’s comments would have a negative impact on
reconciliation efforts.’

Ankara’s European Affairs Minister Egemen Bagis said Sarkozy `would do
better to concern himself with getting France out of its economic
crisis than to play historian over the Armenian question.’ `It would
be better… if Monsieur Sarkozy abandons the role of historian and
puts his mind to getting his country out of the economic gulf in which
it finds itself and comes up with plans for the future of the European
Union,” he said.

Turkish Foreign Ministry described Sarkozy’s statements as
`inconsistent and incautious.’ The Ministry said it will `continue its
constructive policy aimed to improve relations with Armenia and
overcome barriers.’

So, one can presume that Turkey is not going to acknowledge the
Armenian Genocide and France will have to pass the bill on
criminalization of its denial before the next presidential election to
satisfy the disappointed 500-thousand Armenian community

In an official statement published in July, head of the ARF
Dashnaktsutyun’s Western Europe branch, Mourad Papazian, called on the
Armenian community of France to support the former first secretary of
the French socialist party François Holland in the primary campaign
for presidential election 2012. Papazian explained the choice by the
fact that Holland has always `supported the Armenian cause and the
necessity of recognition of the Armenian Genocide’ and praised his
attitude to the Karabakh problem and Turkey’s bid for the EU
membership.

So, Mr. Sarkozy’s visit can be eyed as an attempt to gain backing of
the Armenian voters. While in Yerevan, French President unveiled a
monument in the center of Yerevan, attended the opening ceremony of
Charles Aznavour’s residence, visited Holy Etchmiadzin and met with
journalists.

Besides, a special part of the visit was the attendance of the
Armenian Genocide Memorial, which impressed his, as he said
afterwards. During a press conference, Mr. Sarkozy said the visit to
Tsitsernakaberd and the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute will be
among of his strongest memories. `This museum reminded me of Yad
Vashem and the genocide museum in Rwanda,’ he said, adding that he
shares the feelings of millions of Armenians.

The visit to Tsitsernakaberd aroused indignation of Azerbaijan, the
more so because the French President did not visit the Alley of
Shahids in Baku.

For some reason, ‘offended’ Azerbaijanis demanded an explanation from
U.S. ambassador Matt Bryza, who, however, refused to comment, saying
that he is `neither ambassador of France nor a co-chair of the Minsk
Group.’

On the whole, there is an impression that the French President’s
regional tour was aimed to visit Armenia and thus attract attention of
the Armenian Diaspora.

According to Armenian political analyst Sergey Shakaryants, the 2-day
visit of Mr. Sarkozy to Yerevan was `ineffectual’. `The visit merely
underscored Armenia-France ties, with Sarkozy making no new comment on
either the Armenian Genocide or Karabakh conflict,’ he said. `Europe
and, consequently France are unable to contribute to Karabakh
settlement, Armenia-Turkey relations, and moreover, positively affect
the military and political situation in the region,’ the expert noted.

Meanwhile, another political scientist Menua Soghomonyan believes that
the statement by President Sarkozy on possible amendments to French
legislation to penalize Armenian Genocide denial is aimed to protect
the rights and interests of French citizens of Armenian origin. The
expert urged the media against ascribing the statement solely to a
wish to secure Armenian Diaspora’s support on the threshold of
presidential race in France. `I believe, as French citizens, Armenian
Diaspora representatives have long sorted out their political
preferences,’ the expert explained.

It’s not yet clear whether Mr. Sarkozy’s visit to Armenia will be help
gain the hearts of Armenian French voters. But the next presidential
election will reveal the results of French President’s Armenian
flirtation.

Marina Ananikyan / PanARMENIAN News

Erevan
Discours de M. le Président de la République sur la Place de France

DISCOURS DE M. LE PRÃ?SIDENT DE LA RÃ?PUBLIQUE
Sur la Place de France
Erevan (Arménie) ‘Vendredi 7 octobre 2011

Monsieur le Président de la République, ¨Monsieur le Président de
l’Assemblée Nationale, ¨Mesdames et Messieurs les députés, ¨Monsieur
le Premier ministre, ¨Mesdames et Messieurs les membres du
gouvernement, ¨Chers amis arméniens, ¨Chers compatriotes, ¨Mesdames et
Messieurs,
Je voudrais vous dire la joie et l’émotion qui sont les miennes d’être
aujourd’hui en Arménie, quelques jours seulement après la célébration
du 20e anniversaire de votre indépendance, sur cette place de France
qui dit si bien les liens qui unissent nos deux pays.
La statue de Rodin dédiée au peintre Jules Bastien-Lepage qui est
dévoilée aujourd’hui achèvera de donner à cette place le visage de
l’amitié entre la France et l’Arménie. Depuis toujours, mes chers
amis, l’Arménie est dans le cÅ`ur des Français, nos deux pays,
l’Arménie et la France, se ressemblent.
L’Arménie, comme la France, est riche d’une histoire deux fois
millénaire, et l’Arménie comme la France est attachée à sa culture.
Elle revendique une identité qui s’est forgée dans les épreuves de
l’Histoire et c’est dans l’adversité que Français et Arméniens se sont
le mieux révélés, et qu’ils ont découvert une force en eux qu’ils ne
soupçonnaient même pas.
Les liens entre la France et l’Arménie sont enracinés dans la longue durée.
La Chrétienté, les Croisades appartiennent à notre histoire commune.
Le dernier roi d’Arménie se trouve aux côtés des rois de France dans
la basilique de Saint-Denis. Le Collège arménien, inauguré par
Lamartine, est aujourd’hui encore, à Sèvres, un lieu de référence pour
l’enseignement de l’arménien en Europe. Au XIXe siècle, l’élite
arménienne a été formée à Paris.
Mais c’est dans les terribles épreuves du siècle passé qu’a fini de se
nouer l’amitié indéfectible entre l’Arménie et la France.
Au lendemain de la première entreprise d’extermination de l’histoire
moderne, des dizaines de milliers d’Arméniens ont cherché et trouvé
refuge en France. Ils y ont trouvé dans la France une seconde patrie,
sans jamais oublier l’Arménie. La France a reconnu la sentence de mort
décrétée alors contre tout un peuple en l’appelant par son nom, le
seul nom possible, le génocide, un génocide.
Ici à Erevan, je veux dire à la Turquie qu’elle doit regarder son
histoire en face.
Il n’y a que les grands pays qui sont capables de regarder leur
histoire en face, et la réconciliation ne peut se faire qu’Ã ce prix.
Mes chers amis, la France est fière de tous ces fils et ces filles
d’Arménie, qui lui ont donné le meilleur d’eux-mêmes, et qui l’ont
enrichie.
La France n’oublie pas ce qu’elle doit à des hommes comme Missak
Manouchian, héros de la résistance contre les nazis, c’est un Arménien
qui nous a aidé Ã retrouver notre honneur et notre liberté. ¨*
Chers amis,
L’héritage des siècles a fait de la France et de l’Arménie, à jamais,
des nations sÅ`urs. Nous devons maintenant nous projeter dans l’avenir,
nous devons relever ensemble les défis de l’avenir.
Avec la fin du communisme, avec la fin de l’Union soviétique,
l’Arménie a retrouvé la maîtrise de son destin. Le 21 septembre 1991
s’est ouvert un nouveau chapitre de votre histoire.
D’abord, hélas, ce furent des années de guerre.
Des années ponctuées d’épreuves et de souffrances.
L’Arménie les a surmontées grâce aux vertus de son peuple : le
courage, l’ardeur au travail, une formidable envie de vivre, qui est
le propre des Arméniens.
Vous pouvez être fiers du chemin parcouru depuis l’Indépendance !
L’alternance au pouvoir, la construction d’une démocratie apaisée,
l’admission au sein du Conseil de l’Europe, le rapprochement avec
l’Union européenne ; tout cela, c’est autant de succès dont le peuple
et le gouvernement arménien peuvent être fiers.
L’Arménie a le droit de ne plus vivre en état de guerre, fût-elle larvée.
L’Arménie a le droit de ne plus vivre enclavée, car cet isolement
imposé empêche son développement et l’avenir de sa jeunesse.
Le temps est venu de trouver le chemin d’une paix durable. Le temps
est venu de concrétiser l’espérance qu’avait fait naître, Monsieur le
Président, dans le monde entier la signature des protocoles entre
l’Arménie et la Turquie.
Le temps est venu de prendre le risque de la paix, car le risque le
plus grand pour l’Arménie, c’est celui de l’immobilisme.
La France sera à vos côtés, et redoublera d’efforts pour vous aider Ã
trouver un règlement juste, durable, pacifique. Aucun pays, mieux que
la France, ne comprend ce que représente pour l’Arménie le
Haut-Karabagh.
Aucun pays, plus que la France, ne mesure le poids de la Turquie dans
la mémoire collective arménienne. Mais aucun pays ne sait davantage
que la France, mes chers amis, qu’il n’est de blessure si vive qui ne
puisse être guérie, qu’il n’est de fossé si profond entre deux peuples
qui ne puisse être comblé. C’est le chemin que la France a emprunté
avec l’Allemagne après 1945, alors que le souvenir de l’occupation et
des atrocités de la guerre était encore si douloureux. C’est sur les
ruines du conflit le plus meurtrier de l’Histoire qu’a été renouée
l’amitié entre deux peuples, le peuple allemand et le peuple français.
Une amitié qui est aujourd’hui plus que jamais le pilier de l’Europe.
Il aura fallu la vision d’hommes d’exception, le général de Gaulle et
le chancelier Adenauer, pour que soit scellée la réconciliation entre
la France et l’Allemagne. Arméniens, Azerbaidjanais, Turcs, c’est ce
chemin qu’il vous faut à votre tour emprunter. Il n’y en a pas
d’autres. C’est le chemin de la paix. Je sais que le peuple arménien
en a la volonté, et que son Président en a l’étoffe. C’est ce même
message de paix que je porterai tout à l’heure à Bakou et que
j’adresserai aux dirigeants turcs.
La France aidera l’Arménie. Elle aidera l’Arménie à développer son économie.
La France et ses entreprises seront à vos côtés. Nos deux économies
ont commencé de se lier l’une à l’autre. Nos deux peuples aiment
travailler ensemble parce qu’ils se respectent, parce qu’ils ont en
partage des trésors de culture et de civilisation, parce qu’ils se
comprennent. Je pense à l’Université française d’Arménie, d’où sortent
chaque année plus de 200 jeunes économistes et juristes arméniens.
Je pense aux 250 écoles arméniennes qui enseignent le français, aux
écoles bilingues maternelles, primaires et professionnelles.
Je pense aux centaines d’étudiants arméniens qui étudient dans les
universités françaises et je les souhaite encore plus nombreux pour
l’avenir.
Le moment est venu de franchir une nouvelle étape, avec la création
d’un véritable lycée français, ici en Arménie, à Erevan, qui de la
maternelle à la terminale, formera les élites francophones arméniennes
de demain. C’est la décision que nous avons prise.
¨Le temps est venu, Monsieur le Président, pour l’Arménie de devenir
un membre à part entière de la grande famille francophone.
L’Arménie aime le Français, aime la culture française, sans jamais
oublier sa propre langue et sa propre culture. Au moment même où je
m’adresse à vous, des archéologues français et arméniens travaillent
main dans la main pour exhumer le passé glorieux de l’Arménie qui
appartient au patrimoine de l’humanité.
Il existe entre nos deux pays une soif de culture partagée qui a peu
d’équivalent dans le monde. Robert Gediguian, Serge Avedekian, Alain
Terzian, Simon Abkarian, Vahan Martirosian, André Manoukian, Michel
Legrand, Hélène Segara, et Charles Aznavour, ce sont de grands
Français et de grands Arméniens, c’est tout le génie de notre mélange
qui est incarné dans ces personnalités. Peu de peuples au monde ont
traversé au cours de leur histoire autant d’épreuves que le peuple
arménien. Plus rares encore sont ceux qui, comme le peuple arménien,
ont dû lutter pour leur survie même, contre des forces qui voulaient
vous anéantir.
Si la nation arménienne célèbre cette année le 20e anniversaire de son
indépendance, c’est à elle-même qu’elle le doit, car les peuples
victimes de génocide savent au plus profond d’eux-mêmes que c’est
d’abord en comptant sur leurs propres forces qu’ils sauveront leurs
enfants et leur donneront un avenir.
La France est fière d’avoir accueilli les enfants persécutés d’Arménie.
Ces enfants d’Arménie sont devenus des enfants de France. Bien plus
qu’un don, cette statue de Rodin est, d’abord, l’expression de ce que
la France doit à l’Arménie, son amie et sa sÅ`ur, qui lui a tant donné
par le cÅ`ur et par l’esprit.
Vive l’Arménie et vive la France !

Photo présidence de la République

dimanche 9 octobre 2011,
Ara ©armenews.com

Mirror.co.uk
Oct 8 2011

Keane doubtful for Armenia clash

Skipper Robbie Keane is a major doubt for the Republic of Ireland’s
Euro 2012 qualifier against Armenia on Tuesday evening.

The 31-year-old was sent for a scan after complaining of soreness in
his abductor muscle following his return from Friday night’s 2-0
victory in Andorra, although manager Giovanni Trapattoni suggested
that was precautionary. But the Football Association of Ireland on
Saturday evening confirmed that his participation in the game could be
under threat.

A spokesman said: “Following a medical update after training, Giovanni
Trapattoni has said that Robbie Keane is a strong doubt ahead of
Tuesday’s match against Armenia.”

If Keane does not make it, that will represent a huge blow to
Ireland as they attempt to claim the point they need to book a
play-off place.

The LA Galaxy frontman is his country’s record international scorer
with 51 goals, although he passed up a series of chances to add to his
tally on Friday night.

Keane has embarked upon a series of gruelling trans-Atlantic journeys
to play for the Republic since heading to the United States, although
he insisted earlier this week that he is feeling no ill effects.

One positive for Trapattoni is that his preferred strike-partner for
his skipper, Kevin Doyle, looked to be back to his best on Friday
after regaining his match sharpness following a knee problem, while
Jonathan Walters also linked up with the squad on Saturday after
recovering from an ankle injury.

The free-scoring Armenians stand between Trapattoni’s Republic and a
place in the play-offs in after Russia effectively ended their hopes
of snatching automatic qualification by beating Slovakia.

Should the Russians beat Andorra in Moscow on Tuesday, even victory
for the Irish will secure only second place in Group B.

Barring a shock of monumental proportions, Trapattoni’s men seem
likely to have to be satisfied with yet another play-off adventure,
and a point against Armenia would keep the group’s dark horses at bay.