Author: Kanayan Tamar

500TH ANNIVERSARY OF ARMENIAN PRINTING JUBILEE EVENTS TO KICK OFF IN VENICE

Panorama
Dec 1 2011
Armenia

Venice national museums of Correr and Archeology, as well as the
National Library Marciana will host on December 14 official opening
ceremony of jubilee events dedicated to the 500th anniversary of
Armenian typography.

“Armenia: stamps of civilization” exhibition will function till April
10, 2012. More than 200 rare manuscripts, antique books, miniatures,
cross stones, carpets, maps and other stuff will be brought from
museums of Armenia and Europe to be displayed at the exhibition,
Ministry of Culture informed.

According to the source, the exhibition is organized by the state
committee on the 500th anniversary of Armenian printing under the
auspices of RA President.

AUTHOR ANSWERS QUESTIONS ABOUT MEMOIR ON ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
By Kristin Ross

SU The Daily Orange

Dec 1 2011
Syracuse University, NY

One morning, Bruce Smith said he spotted a student simultaneously
working out on an elliptical machine in the gym and reading “Black
Dog of Fate,” Peter Balakian’s memoir about his grandmother’s survival
in the Armenian Genocide. Smith said he would like to live in a world
where all students copied this act.

Smith, an English professor at Syracuse University, used this anecdote
to introduce featured speaker and fellow friend Balakian to those
gathered inside Gifford Auditorium on Wednesday for the next event
in the fall 2011 Raymond Carver Reading Series.

Students enrolled in ETS 107: “Living Writers” conducted a Q-and-A
session with Balakian at 3:45 p.m. about his memoir, “Black Dog of
Fate.” The event reconvened at 5:30 p.m. and Balakian performed a
reading from his book as well as some of his original poetry.

As a whole, Balakian said the Armenian culture’s reaction has been
very supportive of “Black Dog of Fate.” First published in 1997,
it is a New York Times Notable Book. Balakian said the memoir took
him about seven years to complete, and during that time, the book
went through multiple revisions before coming together.

Dated just after World War I, Balakian said the Armenian Genocide
in Turkey is comparable to the Holocaust in Germany. To this day,
Balakian said the Turkish government is in denial that the Armenian
Genocide ever happened.

“Historically, the Armenian Genocide and the Holocaust are
interconnected,” Balakian said. “Germany was Turkey’s wartime ally
during World War I. Thousands of pages of eyewitness testimony to the
Armenian Genocide were written by German foreign officers and military
officers, and therefore, reside in the archives in Germany today.”

Balakian’s grandmother was a survivor of the Armenian Genocide. In
“Black Dog of Fate,” Balakian retells the horror stories she used to
tell him when he was younger.

He thought his grandmother chose to open up to him rather than any
other family member partly due to the generational gap, he said.

“I think these stories were too locked in shame and fear,” he said.

“They were connected to my grandma’s breakdowns and struggles.”

After the event was over, freshman Will Valle was among a handful of
students who stood in line to meet Balakian and get an autograph.

“He’s probably the most widely known author that’s come to class so
far this semester,” Valle said.

Valle, who is an undeclared major in the College of Arts and Sciences,
said he particularly enjoyed when Balakian read some of his poetry,
which Valle never heard before. After the event, Valle said he would
consider reading Balakian’s poetry in the future.

Overall, Valle said he had a positive reaction to the memoir,
although he thought the book became intense when it described the
Armenian Genocide.

“I was surprised that this was the first thing I had ever read
about the Armenian Genocide,” Valle said. “All through high school,
I never read anything about the genocide, and so I’m glad I finally
read something that covered that.”

A PRIVATE ART COLLECTION MADE PUBLIC
BY: Chirine Lahoud

The Daily Star (Lebanon)
December 1, 2011 Thursday

Gallerist Zara Mazmanian founded the Esquisse Gallery in Bahrain in
mid-2009. After the Arab Spring arrived in that country, however,
the gallery moved to Beirut.

BEIRUT: Gallerist Zara Mazmanian founded the Esquisse Gallery in
Bahrain in mid-2009. After the Arab Spring arrived in that country,
however, the gallery moved to Beirut.

As Esquisse is still under construction and not scheduled to open
officially in Ashrafieh until January 2012, Mazmanian decided to
open her first show, “Contemporary Dawn,” last weekend at Hamra’s
Tourism Ministry showroom.This collective exhibition is taken from
Mazmanian’s private collection, pieces which, as she told The Daily
Star, “spoke to [her] heart.”

“Contemporary Dawn” is comprised of work from such Armenian artists
as Albert Hakobyan, Gabriel Manukyan and Mkrtich Mazmanian and Middle
Eastern artists like Faika al-Hasan.

The exhibition title, she said, “expresses a fresh start,” and what
better place than the Tourism Ministry to host the blending of cultures
that the nationalities of artists implies.

Gabriel Manukyan (aka Gabo) is represented by a pair of
acrylic-on-canvas works entitled, respectively, “The Wedding Day”
and “Across the Bank.”

What immediately attracts the eye of the viewer is the artist’s palette
of vivid colors. Greens, blues, yellows and browns pervade the canvas,
giving it a cheerful aspect. His art is described in press documents
as reflecting “a world of fantasy, magic and joy.”

“The Wedding Day” focuses on two persons, presumably a bride and
groom. The bride is sensually reclined on a decorative platform,
her wedding bed. Above her, two figures (apparently men) seem to be
blowing on horn-like instruments – whether to woo her or to celebrate
the impending nuptials is uncertain.

This tableau unfolds before a solid green background – the color
of fertility and regeneration – which further underlines the sense
of celebration.

Gabo’s depiction of his two characters is puppet-like. Whatever makes
up their bodies, it is not bone, muscle or flesh. Their body parts
appear to have been stitched together so that it’s difficult to tell
where the flesh ends and the clothing begins, assemblages of colorful
cloth which give the characters the aspect of living pi?atas.

The balance between the solid background and the fabric-like riot of
Gabo’s figures is well devised: to have painted a variegated background
would have stifled the canvases too much.

Although these are very busy canvases, it’s a pleasure to gaze upon
the dream-like world depicted in this artist’s work.

Not all the work in “Contemporary Dawn” is equally enjoyable.

Teni Vardanyan’s four oil-on-canvas pieces place viewers before quite
obscure scenes.

“The Yellow Light” (82×65 cm) portrays three odd creatures, which
appear to be joined to one another at the hips and shoulders, like
Siamese triplets. Two arms are visible, with gloved hands. The creature
on the right has two faces and is wearing slippers, while the other
two stand barefoot on what looks like a floor tile or a stage.

All stand before a yellow light bulb suspended from the ceiling.

Teni’s painting technique emphasizes this impression of looking at
fantastic creatures. Their faces aren’t detailed and their heads are
round-shaped (like a light bulb actually). No clue about gender is
given to viewers and we don’t know whether they are nude or dressed.

We notice a dichotomy in the color used to paint their bodies. Legs
radiate shades of orange, as though reflecting the light emitted
by the bulb. The upper parts of their bodies, on the other hand,
are blue, almost fluorescent.

There is something perfunctory in the depiction of the light bulb,
as though it were added at the last minute.

The exhibition includes a wide range of figurative sculptures in
bronze by Mkrtich Mazmanian – father of the gallery owner. Mazmanian’s
sculptures depict female-shaped bodies in different situations.

The bottom part of “Messenger” (103x25x20 cm) is comprised of an
angular feminine body, combined with an upper body made of what
appears to be a roll of paper.

Mazmanian’s deployment of his “Messenger” suggests it/she is on her way
to deliver this message. The exhibition literature suggests Mazmanian’s
art is “spatial … abstract yet contains realism.” The sole trace
of realism here lies in its depiction of the female body, though the
uncoiling of the paper roll conveys the impression of movement.

The bronze “Mirage Two” (65x30x20 cm) radiates a sense of lightness,
portraying the body of an angel – from what we decipher to be a wing
on the left side of the work – with its legs replaced by a striped
piece of bronze, similar to the waves of a mirage you might see in
the desert.

In Mazmanian’s sculptures, there is always a hint of motion. He
transports viewers into an imaginary world, blending realist shapes
with fantastical ones.

“Contemporary Dawn” is on display at Glass Hall, in the Tourism
Ministry, until Dec. 4. For further information, please call
01-340-940.

“CONGRESS SHOULD STAY OUT OF DISCUSSIONS ON 1915 INCIDENTS”

Anadolu Agency

Dec 1 2011

The U.S. Congress should avoid interfering in discussions over
the incidents of 1915 in the Ottoman Empire, a U.S. republican
representative has said.

“I do not believe that it is an appropriate issue for Congress to try
to determine [the incidents of 1915]. Instead, it is best addressed
by Turkey and Armenia directly,” Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, chairwoman
of the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs,
told Wednesday a meeting of the Turkic American Alliance Convention.

The U.S. congresswoman said events occurred in 1915 was “a great
tragedy,” adding however that the proper historical classification
of those incidents was a deeply emotional issue.

“I strongly support the proposal for Turkish and Armenian historians to
review those tragic events through a cooperative and positive process,”
Ros-Lehtinen said.

Fight against PKK

Ros-Lehtinen said the United States and Turkey had fostered a key
strategic relationship which enhanced the security for the Turkish
and the U.S. citizens at home and abroad.

“Our nations understood all too well the threats that face our
citizens, as attacks from violent extremists have taken the lives of
many of our people on our very own soil,” she said.

Ros-Lehtinen noted that the terrorist PKK group was a common enemy
to both the United States and Turkey, adding that the group’s attacks
would not be tolerated.

“The United States is playing a critical role in Turkey’s
counterterrorism operations against the PKK, by providing real-time
satellite imaging, intelligence, and other operational and logistical
support. In fact, the U.S. will soon be providing Turkey with
Super-Cobra attack helicopters, which will be a tremendous asset to the
Turkish military as they conduct operations in southeastern Turkey,”
she said.

She said relations between Turkey and the U.S. had a global
significance to them, stressing that Turkey had made important
contributions to NATO missions in Afghanistan, Bosnia and Kosovo.

Turkish-Israeli relations

Ros-Lehtinen expressed concerned about the deterioration of the
relationship between Turkey and Israel, adding that she was encouraged
by recent openings in the relationship that following devastating
earthquakes in Turkey and Israel’s decision to immediately send
temporary shelters and medical supplies to the victims.

“The Turkish government replied to this generosity very warmly, and
I hope this represents an opportunity to restore those bilateral ties
that have proven beneficial to the people of both Turkey and Israel,”
she said.

COUNCIL PICKS SHUKLIAN TO BE VISALIA’S NEW MAYOR
By George Lurie

Valley Voice

Nov 30 2011
CA

Trailblazing, two-term Councilor joins Vivier on short list of female
Council leaders

Editor’s note: At a special City Council meeting Wednesday night after
the Valley Voice went to press, Amy Shuklian was the odds-on favorite
(according to an informal Valley Voice poll) to succeed Mayor Bob
Link when the five-member body held its first vote on reorganizing
Council positions.

When Visalians wake up this morning, they will have a new mayor:
Her name is Amy Shuklian and in her own unique, trailblazing style,
she will lead the City Council into 2012.

Shuklian, 49, is just the second woman in Visalia’s history to be
mayor. Mary Louise Vivier served the city in that capacity from1995-97.

Shuklian was first elected to the Council in 2007 and, together with
Link, was handily re-elected last month. While serving as Vice- Mayor
the past two years, Shuklian has been ubiquitous at city-sponsored
events and is the first Council member to hold regular monthly office
hours. In fact, she has attended every Council meeting since 2005.

“Amy exemplifies what a local politician should be all about,” said
Donna Bailey, Visalia’s former director of community services and one
of Shuklian’s earliest supporters. “It’s really important that people
feel like their local Council people are approachable and will listen.

Amy’s a hard worker and obviously cares deeply about her community.

She’s been out there and accessible and has learned how to get
things done.”

Her fellow Council member and immediate predecessor as mayor concurs.

“Amy is concerned about what happens in our city and certainly cares,”
said Bob Link.

“We’ve have had our differences on some issues, but the majority of
the time, we’ve worked well together.

“As one of the city’s most visible boosters, Shuklian’s public persona
is upbeat, gregarious, self-effacing. Her straight-forward style can
at times be blunt but she is also quick to compliment city staff and
her colleagues on the Council, even if a little light-hearted kidding
is involved.

“It’s going to be an honor to represent the city as mayor and I’m
really looking forward to it,” said Shuklian, who was raised on a
farm on the west side of the Kings-Tulare counties line and graduated
from Hanford High before going on to attend College of the Sequoias
and then Fresno State.

“My degree from Fresno State was a B.S., which is only fitting,”
jokes Shuklian, who also happens to be a successful stand-up comedian
who has appeared on NBC’s “Last Comic Standing.”

Actually, Shuklian’s degree was in recreation administration. After
graduating, she lived in Fresno for fifteen years, working at two
psychiatric facilities – “That’s why I am so good at getting along
with my fellow Council members,” she said, making it clear that her
tongue was firmly planted in her cheek.

In 1999, after her father’s death, Shuklian returned to the family
farm to help her mother. Of Armenian descent, Shuklian said she is
“fiercely proud of my ethnicity and culture. My grandmother survived
the [Armenian] genocide,” she said. “She actually saw her own mother
murdered right before her eyes.”

After spending time in a Turkish orphanage, Shuklian said her
grandmother came to America and, at the urging of relatives, traveled
to Visalia, stepping off the train at what is now the Depot Restaurant,
which, Shuklian points out, “ironically, is now owned by our relatives,
the Vartanian family.”

Her grandmother died in 2002 at the age of 100 and Shuklian’s mother,
Rose, a long time fixture at the Visalia Chamber of Commerce, died
this past January. “One of my mom’s last wishes was to live long
enough to see me become mayor,” said Shuklian. “On Election Night,
I know Rose was up there watching and was awful proud of me.”

When asked about her personal life, true to form, Shuklian doesn’t
hesitate to share details. “I have been in a relationship for 18
years,” she said. “I have a partner. Her name is Mary.”

As mayor of a large city, Shuklian acknowledged this week that her
sexual orientation may suddenly be of more interest to people. “I’ve
never hidden it,” she said. “I’m Armenian. I’m a woman. I’m gay. I
guess to some folks it matters. But to a lot of people, I don’t think
it makes any difference. The work I do on the City Council is about
Visalia and what’s best for the city. I’m not going around waving a
rainbow flag or promoting a particular agenda. I never set out to be
poster child for any particular group.”

For the past ten years, Shuklian has worked as a therapist at Kaweah
Delta Rehabilitation hospital, assisting stroke victims and those who
have suffered traumatic brain and spinal cord injuries. “My job is to
help people learn adaptive ways to do their recreation and reintegrate
into the community,” she said.

A fervent animal lover and pet owner, Shuklian’s entry into the local
political arena came about after she organized the effort to create
the city’s first dog park at Plaza Park in 2001. Shuklian has been the
Council’s most vocal advocate for building a new city animal shelter,
which the Council just green lighted last month and has also directed
city code enforcement workers to crack down on illegal breeders and
“puppy mills” around the city.

Her success in creating Visalia’s dog park led to Shuklian’s
appointment on the Parks and Recreation Commission and ultimately
inspired her to run for City Council.

In her first Council race, in 2005, she missed being elected by about
1,400 votes, finishing fourth in a large field behind two incumbents
(Jesus Gamboa and Don Landers) and Greg Collins. (As the third-highest
vote getter in last month’s election, Collins rejoined the Council this
week and will serve out the remaining two years of Mike Lane’s term.)

“Visalia may have grown in recent years but it’s still the kind of
community where you can get involved and feel like you can make a
difference,” said Shuklian.

For a number of years while living in Fresno, Shuklian worked with Ray
Appleton at his Screwballz Comedy Club and was twice voted “Fresno’s
Funniest” comedian. As a stand-up comedian, she has opened for big-name
acts like Carrie Underwood, Cyndi Lauper, Jerry Lee Lewis and George
Lopez. “Comedy is my therapy,” she said. “My humor is automatic. I
can’t help it. Sometimes, I really have to bite my tongue.”

Recently, in introducing a resolution honoring Southern California
Edison’s 150 years of service to Visalia, Shuklian said she wanted to
let fellow Council member Steve Nelsen read the proclamation because,
she said, “Steve’s been around for 150 years.”

On the dias, Nelsen chuckled along with audience members. “Amy’s got
an interesting sense of humor,” Nelsen said. “But she knows the City
Council is not a comedy club and I think she’ll take the mayor’s
position very seriously.”

“Decorum is important but sometimes it gets a little heavy up there
and a joke or two helps lighten things up,” said Shuklian.

True to her character, she does not plan to let the new job title go
to her head. “As mayor, I’ll preside over meetings and be the city’s
ceremonial figurehead, but I’ll still have just one vote and no more
real power than any of the other Council members,” she said. “I’ve
even told my friends that if they see me getting too full of myself,
just smack me upside the head and remind me I’m just good old Amy.”

CANADA MUST GET IN STEP WITH NEW TURKEY
by CAMPBELL CLARK

The Globe and Mail
December 1, 2011 Thursday
Canada

Turkey is suddenly a player in many of the world’s major events,
and Canada hasn’t yet found a way to come to grips with it. Ottawa’s
relationship with Turkey has been lukewarm because of a pointed
dispute over history, and marginal mutual interest. But the country,
which has been on the edge of our radar, is moving front and centre.

Stephen Harper’s government wants trade with growing emerging markets,
and Turkey is one such economy, despite the slowdown in Europe. It’s
an obvious next step if Canada completes a free trade deal with the EU.

And Turkey is an emerging regional power on the front lines of global
politics in areas where Canada sees itself as having an interest,
but few levers.

Turkey’s tough approach with neighbouring Syria’s crackdown on
opposition has weight. It issued tough condemnations, and now
sanctions, and was influential is pressing the Arab League to pressure
Damascus. After Canada and other Western nations imposed new sanctions
over Iran’s nuclear program, Tehran responded to speculation about
Israeli or U.S. military strikes with threats to retaliate against
Turkey, a NATO ally.

And as the Arab Spring led in the West to hope of democracy and fear of
Islamists taking power, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Erdogan stressed
secular democracy can go with and Islam.

Turkey’s not a perfect democratic ally. “There are warts, no question
about it. There are journalists in jail,” said Carleton University
international relations professor Fen Hampson. But Canada doesn’t
only need ties to countries that think just as it does. “Boy-scout
friendships aside, for a country like Canada, which sees itself as
having foreign-policy interests in that region, we need a mature
relationship with Turkey,” he said.

But Ottawa’s relations with Turkey are sputtering. Turkish ambassador
Rafet Akgunay described them as not terrible, but not great. “For the
time being, if I said that relations are going in the right direction,
I would be lying,” he said.

There have been steps. Ottawa slightly increased the number of
Toronto-Istanbul flights. There’s some consultation on Syria and
Libya. Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird has met his Turkish
counterpart, Ahmet Davutoglu, at international conferences. “We have
tried to co-operate. But the co-operation level is not as it should
be,” Mr. Akgunay said.

The “stumbling block” is a Canadian government declaration that
the mass killings of Armenians near the end of the Ottoman Empire,
which by some estimates killed 1.5 million, was a genocide. Turkey
considers that an insult, insisting hundreds of thousands of deaths
came in strife in which many Muslims also died, and it was not a plot
to extinguish Armenians.

The genocide statement was adopted in a 2004 Commons resolution, and
Mr. Harper’s government endorsed it in 2006. Tension had eased in 2010,
but was renewed when Mr. Harper repeated the genocide statements in
2011, Mr. Akgunay said.

Turkey won’t persuade Mr. Harper’s government to backtrack. Mr.

Akgunay suggests softening signals could ease tensions. “Diplomacy
is a way of using words,” he said.

There are other avenues. Turkey’s growing economy hasn’t featured
in Mr. Harper’s push for trade with emerging-market countries. There
were exploratory talks about free trade in 2010, but none in 2011. But
there’s an obvious logic for moving ahead. Turkey has a customs union
with the EU, so if Canada strikes a deal with the EU, it would smooth
matters for all sides.

There is business potential, according to Burak Aktas, Export
Development Canada representative in Istanbul. Canada sells goods such
as newsprint, pulp and scrap steel, but Canadian engineering firms have
opportunities to build major hospitals, highways, and power plants,
he said. “Turkey is far away, but there are opportunities here now.”

REPUBLICAN PROPOSES NEW ECONOMIC PRIORITIES

Tert.am
02.12.11

The Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) has elaborated a comprehensive
economic development strategy based upon a document featuring Armenia’s
industry challenges, the minister of economy has said.

Tigran Davtyan told reporters on Friday that that the strategy defines
Armenia’s economic and industrial policies.

According to him, the Republican has focused on precision engineering,
pharmacy and food manufacturing (particularly wine and brandy) as
priority branches of industry.

“Those sectors are of primary importance for us first of all because
of their export advantages,” the minister said.

The minister added that the document will differ from previous ones
as it will reflect the Government’s steps towards economic development.

“Any citizen can see what steps the Government is taking,” he added.|

Discussions over the document are scheduled on Sunday at the Tumo
Center for Creative Technologies.

ZHOGHOVURD: ARMENIA’S NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL FACING CHANGES

Tert.am
02.12.11

The Board of Armenia’s National Security Council is facing changes.

After being elected Parliament speaker, Samvel Nikoyan will join
the council.

The Parliament ex-speaker Hovik Abrahamyan is not a Council member any
more though President Serzh Sargsyan did not sign any relevant decree.

The newspaper points to one more interesting fact: the ex-chief of
Armenia’s police Alik Sargsyan remains National Security Council
member. Chief of Armenia’s police Vova Gasparyan is a National
Security Council member as well. However, President Serzh Sargsyan
never signed a decree appointing him a Council member. This means
that Armenia’s president “does not care a damn about” the National
Security Council. Moreover, it is evidence of “everything developing
as it might” within the ruling camp.

UNE SOCIETE RUSSE CHERCHE A NE PLUS GERER METSAMOR
Stephane

armenews.com
vendredi 2 decembre 2011

Une filiale de la societe nationale d’electricite de Russie a confirme
sa volonte de mettre fin a la gestion depuis huit ans de la centrale
atomique de Metsamor en Armenie.

RAO Unified Energy Systems (UES) avait obtenu le contrôle de Metsamor
aussi bien que la propriete de cinq centrales hydroelectriques
armeniennes en 2003 en echange du remboursement d’une dette de 40
millions $ aux fournisseurs russes de combustible nucleaire.

UES a depuis contrôle le reacteur nucleaire via sa filiale RAO. Le
contrat de gestion quinquennal avec le gouvernement armenien a ete
prolonge en 2008 et devait expirer en 2013.

Le quotidien de Moscou “Kommersant” a annonce que Inter RAO n’est
pas satisfaite par les termes de l’accord et voudrait y mettre fin
maintenant. Il a cite une source anonyme de la societe attribuant cela
a ” des risques resolument augmentes ” dans le secteur de l’energie
nucleaire.

Nikolay Gorelov, porte-parole d’Inter RAO, a confirme l’information.

Il a dit que la societe a deja offert a plusieurs autres societes,
notablement la societe russe Rosatom, de reprendre la gestion de
Metsamor.

” Je dirais que ces negociations [avec Rosatom] n’ont meme pas commence
” a dit M.Gorelov au service armenien de RFE/RL (Azatutyun.am),
” Donc, il est difficile d’en parler pour le moment “.

” Il y a un desir [de mettre fin a la gestion de Metsamor], mais si
nous ne savons pas si vraiment nous reussirons a le faire ” a-t-il dit.

Le porte-parole de Rosatom Sergei Novikov a dit au service armenien de
RFE/RL (Azatutyun.am) que la societe publique considerera seulement une
demande du gouvernement armenien. ” Autant que je sache, jusqu’ici il
n’y a eu aucune telle demande du gouvernement armenien ” a-t-il dit. ”
Donc, il n’y a rien dont nous pouvons parler ” .

Le Ministère armenien de l’Energie et des Ressources naturelles a
refuse de faire des remarques sur la question.

Selon “Kommersant”, Rosatom est beaucoup plus interesse a la
participation dans le projet ambitieux du gouvernement armenien de
remplacer le reacteur existant de Metsamor pour une centrale plus
moderne repondant aux standards internationaux de securite.

Rosatom et le Ministère armenien de l’Energie et des Ressources
naturelles ont fonde fin 2009 une joint-venture pour la construction du
nouveau reacteur. Il devrait etre de fois plus puissant que le reacteur
actuel qui produit environ 40 pour cent de l’electricite d’Armenie.

La centtrale de Metsamor a connu le mois dernier a une grève
surprise touchant plus d’un tiers du personnel fort de 450 membres
exigeant une meilleure remuneration. La plupart de ces employes ont
consenti a retourner au travail après avoir accepte a contre-coeur
une augmentation de 10 de leurs salaires par le gouvernement. Inter
RAO n’a eu aucune participation dans le règlement de la discussion.

LE BFCA PROTESTE CONTRE UNE INVITATION DE LA FRANCE A LA TURQUIE
Jean Eckian

armenews.com
vendredi 2 decembre 2011

La proposition du Quai d’Orsay d’inviter la Turquie, non membre de
l’Union Europeenne, a la reunion des Ministres des Affaires Etrangères
pour discuter de la situation en Syrie, engendre a juste titre de
nombreuses controverses.

La France a propose que la Turquie participe au Conseil des ministres
des Affaires europeennes, a declare le porte-parole du Quai d’Orsay en
soulignant : ” Cette invitation est extremement importante a nos yeux
“.

Cette importance accordee a la Turquie par le gouvernement en
fonction, suscite de nombreux questionnements d’autant plus que la
chef de la diplomatie de l’UE, Catherine Ashton, hesitait a inviter
Ahmet Davutoglu.

Il est inconcevable de solliciter l’alliance d’Ankara pour instaurer
un regime democratique a Damas alors que la Turquie est très mal
placee pour assurer une telle mission. Avec quels acquis la Turquie
va se presenter auprès du peuple syrien afin d’ameliorer son image ?

Alors que l’armee turque continue a exercer tout son poids pour gerer
ses conflits politiques au sein des regions a forte population kurde,
a occuper le nord de Chypre, a maintenir son blocus contre l’Armenie,
alors qu’en Turquie les droits de l’Homme restent pietines, les droits
des minorites y restent bafoues, que des opposants au regime en place,
des dissidents, des journalistes et des intellectuels sont poursuivis,
condamnes et meme assassines pour leurs opinions divergentes ou en
raison de leur origine ou leur religion, comment cet Etat policier
aurait la legitimite d’intervenir en Syrie au nom de l’etablissement
de la democratie ?

En outre, le territoire de Sandjak d’Alexandrette reste toujours un
sujet de discorde entre la Turquie et la Syrie et par consequent,
on se demande comment Ankara pourrait etre juge et partie.

Au vu de tous ces elements, nous condamnons la politique adoptee par
le gouvernement francais dans cette affaire.

A Paris, le 01/12/2011

Le Bureau Francais de la Cause Armenienne