ARTHUR ABRAHAM – THERE WILL BE TWO KINGS IN CHICAGO ON OCTOBER 7TH!
EastsideBoxing.com
Oct 2 2006
ESB Exclusive!
02.10.06 – By Izyaslav “Slava” Koza: It has been more than one
week since the breathtaking, spectacular, wonderful and apparently
controversial bout between IBF champ Arthur Abraham and hard punching,
and determined challenger Edison Miranda. In what I can best describe
as a Gatti like performance Arthur Abraham, busted and bloodied,
fought on with a broken jaw to take a unanimous decision over a very
tough and difficult opponent in Miranda.
What amazes me most, however, is not the fact that fans are praising
Abraham for his guts and Miranda for his determination but for the
perceived controversy in that bout. I remember watching Gatti-Ward
1 and seeing, low blows, and fouls, and Cappuccino not stopping the
fight in the 9th , and Ward winning a controversial decision, with
not one fan caring one iota about any of that. Now that people have
watched it on DVD, and replayed all the fouls and close calls over
and over, they can belittle the Abraham on the effort he put in?
I was one of the few Americans to watch the fight live (and rewatch
it the next day), and without the benefit of pause and rewind.
Neumann made some questionable calls, true, and some that on second
look were not correct. However, as I have said, he also made some
questionable no calls in regards to both fighters, such as Abraham’s
holding, as well as Miranda’s early low blows, his rabbit punching
and the shot after the bell.
Keeping that in mind, it’s difficult to attack a guy needing to make
split second decisions in the heat of battle. It is easier to create
another robbery conspiracy and in that sense diminish both guys’
efforts, in my opinion. If it were easy then there would be many more
different referees in championship bouts. Neumann is a ref who always
had problems with calling holding (most notably in Ruiz-Golota), and
ironically while we criticize him for not enforcing this, we also
go off on Nady for being too tough about it. The problem in boxing
is that there is no definition of what exactly, among other things,
excessive holding is, or borderline shots are, which is why we see
such discrepancies. However, this is a discussion for another article,
because my point is all of these controversies do two things.
For one, as I have suggested they take away from the achievement of
both fighters, especially Abraham. Even Edison Miranda showed respect
for the champ in his recent press release and I think maybe we should
all start doing the same. As one of my colleagues on another site said,
whatever opinion you have of the fight, NONE of that has anything
to do with Abraham. He neither filled out those cards, nor made any
calls or no calls that you guys didn’t like. All he did was fight on
with a broken jaw and blood pouring out of his mouth for our mutual
entertainment. Like with Gatti, with Ward with Benn and McLellan that
deserves respect and maybe we should just put down our VCR remotes
or shut down Windows Media player and think about that instead.
Secondly, the fight, one that had not been shown in America has done
something else which is quite significant, and that is gotten fans to
talk about boxing with a passion again. While I feel that Abraham and
Miranda deserve respect, above and beyond any other topic, secondly
whenever some event forces us as fans to start discussing boxing with
a passion, it means that event has been successful. All the little
nuisances, the drama and the action have done more for boxing then
almost any other fight or fighters in boxing this year. While I don’t
feel this bout is the fight of the year, it is definitely the most
significant bout to come our way in the last few.
With that out of the way, enjoy the following interview with the still
as yet undefeated, current IBF champion Arthur Abraham. Though it is
impossible to pass along the general tone of Arthur’s voice through the
net, I would be hard pressed for anyone to tell me they thought this
guy had just fought the battle of his life. His voice was confident,
and good natured as usual which for those of us worried about his
condition should be a giant relief.
ESB: Hey Arthur! Congratulations on the win. Did you just speak to
the doctor?
Arthur Abraham: Yeah, yeah, he just looked at my jaw and said
everything is ok. He took off the thing (brace of some sort I
guess-author note) and that is it. I was just at his office.
ESB: Are you still in the hospital? When did they sign you out?
Arthur Abraham: No, I am out already. I’m already at home, but I
just went there so the doctor would check me out. They signed me out
yesterday. (Note: Arthur might have misunderstood my question)
ESB: What did he say about your injury? When will it heal? When can
you train?
Arthur Abraham: He said about 6 months until I can get back in
the ring.
ESB: What did you do at the hospital?
Arthur Abraham: I watched movies, TV, some DVD’s. My friends were
there. I read congratulations and such, answered phone calls.
Constantly had guests visiting.
ESB: What did your parents say about the fight once they heard?
Arthur Abraham: Well, they were very worried, of course. My dad was
in the arena, next to the ring and he was sweating the whole way. My
mom was at home and after the 3rd round, she could not watch anymore.
It was hard for them but they are very proud of me.
ESB: Yesterday, for the first time, Miranda commented on the fight.
He said he heard you can return to the ring only after 9-12 months.
Your doctor doesn’t agree, I guess?
Arthur Abraham: Yeah, this is not true.
ESB: He also said you are a real warrior and he respects you for the
fact that you fought on with such an injury for 12 rounds. He also
hopes you get well soon. You think he is sincere here or saying it
so it’s easier to get a rematch?
Arthur Abraham: You know, I really don’t care why he said it. If he
said it sincerely, then I say, “thank you,” but if he said it for some
other reasons, then I don’t care. I am always ready to fight with him
and for me, that is not a problem. In fact, that doesn’t only go for
him but for anybody else at this weight. If he said that for real,
then I say, “big thanks” to him.
ESB: He also asked if you remember, that as a sign of his respect,
after the fight he raised your hand, and I guess recognized you as
the champ?
Arthur Abraham: Of course, I remember. I remember everything about that
fight. After all, it’s not my head he broke (laughing). My head works
100%. If my head wouldn’t work, I would not continue the fight, I would
not finish and I would not win. I just don’t remember the operation.
ESB: (laughing) Well, you were under anesthesia.
Arthur Abraham: Oh yeah, that’s why (laughing).
ESB: Do you respect him for the fact that he tried to win by any
means necessary?
Arthur Abraham: I don’t respect that. He is not a good sport,
you know? Not clean. He wanted to win by any means but he couldn’t
accomplish it. He hit me with his head, below the belt, and after
the round. You know, that is boxing, though. Its not chess (laughing).
ESB: (laughing) Understood. After you went 12 rounds with him, do
you still think he is not that talented a fighter?
Arthur Abraham: If he was a talented boxer, he would have beaten
a guy with a busted jaw. If he was smart and strong, he would win
against an opponent with such an injury. He is a normal fighter,
not worse then others but not that special, either.
ESB: Well, do you still think he hits hard, though? He did break
your jaw.
Arthur Abraham: No, not really that hard. There are guys who hit
harder, I think.
ESB: You think that you hit harder?
Arthur Abraham: Of course, I had him in a few of those rounds.
ESB: Many fans have told me that they think the referee, or the
doctor, should have stopped the fight in the fifth, because the risk
to your health was too great. If they would have stopped the fight,
would you have accepted it?
Arthur Abraham: (interrupting) Yeah, many have said that, but I am
not the kind of person that will get down on his knees and give up.
If I get in the ring, I get in to win and losing, and getting on my
knees is something I won’t do. If they would have stopped it, then I
would not say anything, but if they left the decision in my hands, then
I didn’t want to. Somebody wanted to stop it, but I said, “only if I
get the win. If I end up losing by TKO, then I don’t want it stopped.”
ESB: You mean if they would have DQ’d him?
Arthur Abraham: Yeah, yeah, he hit me low three times. Butted me in
the head.
ESB: I think he also rabbit punched you once?
Arthur Abraham: Yeah, in fact, more than once.
ESB: After the fight, Alex seemed very angry with your cornermen
and trainer. Was that because he thought the fight should have been
stopped?
Arthur Abraham: No, no, I think it was because they didn’t give me
water. In reality, he was mad at Miranda because he fought so dirty.
ESB: It’s just there is a photo, where he is yelling at your trainer?
Arthur Abraham: I think he was yelling at somebody else. To be honest,
I wasn’t paying much attention to what was going on, so I am not sure
if he yelled at my trainer.
ESB: If Alex would have been in the same situation as you in the
fifth round, would you have tried to stop the fight?
Arthur Abraham: Of course not, why would I? We are athletes and we
fight to win. If he could continue, why should we stop it? If he would
have said himself, “Stop it, I can’t go on,” that is different, but if
he can continue, it doesn’t make sense to stop it. My head worked, you
saw so yourself. I didn’t get hit with any hard shots after that and
if my brother would have been in the same situation, I would not want
him to give up his title that way. We worked for and earned that title
with blood and if it comes to it, then we have to defend it with blood.
ESB: Speaking of that we have a boxer here by the name of Emanuel
Augustus. Did you hear of him?
Arthur Abraham: No, I don’t know him.
ESB: Anyway, unlike many other fighters like, for instance, Miranda
who said, “I am proud that my trainer would protect me and stop the
fight,” he says that if he is ready to die in the ring then nobody has
a right to say different, including his corner. Do you agree with that?
Arthur Abraham: Well, dying in the ring is too much, I think, but
you can’t stay on your knees. Your health is the most important but
you should also assess and look at the situation. How many football,
or basketball players play on with injuries? If there is an injury,
then it will heal up later. You can’t give up. A break, an injury,
those can be fixed, can be treated, but if you give up, then that
injury can never be fixed. You can heal injuries but if you give up,
you will always have that scar that will never completely heal.
ESB: Meaning a scar like on your soul that you can never quite cure?
Arthur Abraham: Exactly. You can see yourself, I spent 2, 3 days
in the hospital, but the belt stayed with me. I am very happy and
everything is great. If I would be lying in the hospital during that
time without my title, then that would be a real tragedy. THAT would
have been a real injury.
ESB: Oh, I see what you mean. You were going to be in the hospital
anyway, so better that you spend that time with the belt? Then you
wouldn’t be lying there in a bad mood.
Arthur Abraham: (laughing) Yeah, of course. It’s a sport, injuries
happen and I had to go to the hospital, anyway. If it would have been
without my title, then it would even harder and sadder for me.
ESB: You know, I have thought about that. It’s like with every injury
the victory becomes that much sweeter.
Arthur Abraham: Yup, and you see I am speaking normally with you and
there are no problems. I am heading to America and I will be present
at Valuev’s fight.
ESB: Oh yeah, I read about that. I actually have some questions about
that but a little later. Right now, though, do you think your promoter
will want to organize a fight against some of the elite fighters
at this weight or would it be wiser to have a tune up first against
somebody of a lesser caliber?
Arthur Abraham: For me, it doesn’t matter. Whatever he wants to
organize, I say please go ahead, I am ready and happy to fight.
ESB: Well, I know you are always ready, but still, you will be out
of the ring for 6 months and maybe it’s better to have a tuneup?
Arthur Abraham: (Interrupts) Yeah, but it doesn’t matter. Whoever we
fight, I will win anyway.
ESB: So you don’t want a tune up?
Arthur Abraham: Why? It’s always better to fight the best (laughing).
ESB: Well, it could be wiser, but then again, if you think you are
ready. So you wouldn’t mind a repeat against Miranda?
Arthur Abraham: Doesn’t really matter if it’s Miranda again. Taylor,
Wright, I will fight anybody and I will win against anybody.
ESB: Who do you want first, though?
Arthur Abraham: I am saying, it doesn’t matter and I don’t care. I go
in there to win. Let them think about the fact that I am their opponent
because I never worry about it. Whatever they set up, let them set up.
ESB: Okay, well did you see the Quartey-Forrest fight?
Arthur Abraham: Nope, I didn’t watch it.
ESB: Did you hear that Forrest won?
Arthur Abraham: Yeah? Wellh then, I wanna congratulate him with the
win. Forrest is a talented fighter.
ESB: Did you hear that Taylor is supposed to fight Ouma? Did you see
Ouma fight? Who do you think will win?
Arthur Abraham: Yeah, when I was getting ready for Jantuah, I watched
their fight. He is a good boxer but against Taylor, I don’t think he
stands a chance.
ESB: I know that you really want that Taylor fight. He or his people
will probably see this interview. What do you want to tell them?
Arthur Abraham: Well, I don’t have anything to say to Taylor. I have
something to say to everybody at this weight, though, and that is
that I am ready to fight you and win. If you want the fight, I am
ready. Otherwise, Taylor, De La Hoya, Wright, if you guys want the
fight, then get ready to lose. Other than that, I have nothing to say.
ESB: Do you think Taylor did the right thing by going over to be
trained by Steward? Do you think it will help him become a better
fighter?
Arthur Abraham: Well, I don’t know about that, let him decide himself
what is best for him. I don’t think it will help him, though. I think
he has reached the peak of his potential.
ESB: In the meanwhile, Wright is supposed to meet Quartey in
December. I know you think highly of Wright, so my question is,
do you think Quartey stands a chance?
Arthur Abraham: No, I didn’t hear about that, but I think Quartey
will lose. Wright is just better, in my opinion.
ESB: Okay, now, I know you are coming for Valuev’s fight but did you
know that the same day your friend Vakhtang “Vic” Darchinyan will be
fighting in Vegas.
Arthur Abraham: (getting excited) Yeah, Yeah, of course, Buddy,
I wish you luck, success and that your fight will not be as hard as
mine. I hope you knock everybody out quickly and beautifully.
ESB: Did you talk to him after the fight?
Arthur Abraham: Not yet but we speak often.
ESB: Because one of his acquaintances sent me his comments for you
after your win. They are in California now in training for his fight.
Him, Vanes Martirosyan, Artyom Simonyan. I can read you what he said.
It’s in Armenian but written with latin letters.
Arthur Abraham: Yeah, please do.
ESB: (Reading the comment) Can you tell us what he said?
Arthur Abraham: Aha! Yeah, I got it. He said, “We are very proud of
you, our champion, our brother. You are like,…” well, it can’t be
translated into Russian, but like a “great guy (“molodetz”).”
ESB: Cool! I will send all the comments that I receive to your team and
you can read them yourself. I have some in Russian, Armenian, German
and English. What do you want to say to all the people that commented?
Arthur Abraham: I want to thank everybody who cheered for me on that
day, and after and before, and thought about me. I am saying that
from the bottom of my heart. I fight for myself, my family and my fans.
ESB: Who do you think is more popular in Armenia now, you or Vakhtang?
Arthur Abraham: Oh, both of us are 50/50 (laughing). What’s the
difference? Him or me? Everybody loves us, Vakhtang and I. We are
both champions of Erevan, so I don’t think one of us is more popular
then the other.
ESB: You know, I was also told that among others, Art Simonyan was
very happy for you, too. Do you know him?
Arthur Abraham: Yeah, of course, he is our friend, too. He is also a
great boxer and I hope that he also becomes a world champ. So that
we become like a holy trinity almost. So that Erevan, our capital,
has three champs. We all fought for the Armenian national team and
I want to wish Artyom success and a world title, too.
ESB: So, you will watch Vakhtang’s fight on TV after the Valuev bout?
Arthur Abraham: Yeah, I even wanted to earlier but I don’t think
it’s possible.
ESB: You know, the Valuev fight doesn’t start until well after 10,
so if there is a TV in the arena or something, the showtime card
starts earlier. So maybe you can catch Vakhtang’s fight live.
Arthur Abraham: Yeah, when I am in the United States, I will try to
find out about that.
ESB: Arthur, last time you spoke with us, you said that fight fans
will hear more about you. I think this has happened. After such a
fight, what can you possibly impress us with next time?
Arthur Abraham: Next time? (laughing) I hope that it will be
interesting and entertaining for everybody, and most importantly,
that I win. I can’t say what will happen in the future, but I can
guarantee that the most interesting is still to come.
ESB: What will you do now?
Arthur Abraham: Well, I will go to America, then to Denmark, then
Moscow to see my uncle. Then back home to Erevan. Now, I will relax,
rest, gather my strength, and do some light training. Doctor said
that I can’t train hard for three months. So that and then I will
fight and that is that.
ESB: Arthur, again, congratulations on the fight. We are very proud
of you and your success. In terms of drama, your fight with Miranda
can be compared to Gatti and Ward, or even Benn and McLellan. The
only shame is we didn’t get to see it on American TV. I hope that
next time you will be fighting in our neck of the woods. Get well
and heal up those wounds.
Arthur Abraham: Thank You. I hope I will be fighting there as well.
So until then, bye.
I want to thank Heiko Mallwitz as always and the Sauerland team as
well as everybody who sent in their comments to Arthur.
If you want to send them, in any language, English, Russian, Armenian,
German go ahead and mail them to [email protected] and I will
make sure to pass them on to Arthur through his team.
17&more=1

EN ARMENIE, M. CHIRAC REND HOMMAGE A UNE HISTOIRE ” TOURMENTEE ”
par Natalie Nougayrède
Le Monde, France
1 octobre 2006 dimanche
A Erevan, le president francais evoque avec emotion la ” memoire ”
du genocide de 1915. Des personnalites francaises d’origine armenienne
l’accompagnent
A l’occasion de la première visite d’un president francais en Armenie,
Jacques Chirac devait, samedi 30 septembre, se rendre au monument
consacre au genocide armenien de 1915, a Erevan, la capitale. Il
devait ensuite prononcer un discours a l’occasion de l’inauguration
d’une ” place de France “, dans le centre de la ville.
L’Elysee a voulu conferer a cette visite d’Etat de deux jours une
” forte valeur symbolique, axee sur la memoire “, indiquait-on dans
l’entourage de M. Chirac, avant le voyage.
M. Chirac, qui est accompagne d’une delegation de quatre ministres
et de plusieurs personnalites francaises du monde de la politique ou
de l’entreprise, d’origine armenienne, devait exprimer, samedi, son ”
emotion devant l’histoire heroïque et tourmentee ” du peuple armenien,
” dont le destin reste a jamais marque par le genocide dont il fut
victime, dans les convulsions de la première guerre mondiale et de
la fin des empires “.
Le president francais devait exalter les liens anciens rattachant
l’Armenie a la France, remontant au ” temps lointain où Baudouin
de Boulogne, roi de Jerusalem, epousa Arda, princesse armenienne
“. Il devait evoquer l’exil et l’installation en France de milliers
d’Armeniens après le genocide, et rendre par ailleurs hommage au
combat contre les nazis dans la France occupee des resistants du
groupe de Missak Manouchian.
La France est le seul pays occidental a avoir adopte, en 2001, une
loi reconnaissant le genocide armenien, objet de tensions recurrentes
avec la Turquie. M. Chirac a souligne, dans un entretien accorde a la
veille de son voyage au journal Nouvelles d’Armenie, que l’adhesion
de la Turquie a l’Union europeenne supposait que ce pays ” penche du
côte de nos valeurs “.
” UNE DEMOCRATIE VIVANTE ”
Lors de son discours sur la place de la France, le president francais
devait aussi appeler l’Armenie d’aujourd’hui, ” jeune Republique
independante d’une antique nation “, a ” bâtir une democratie toujours
plus vivante ” et un ” Etat de droit garant des libertes publiques “.
M. Chirac a dîne, vendredi, avec le president armenien, Robert
Kotcharian, qu’il connaît deja, pour avoir tente de peser dans les
difficiles negociations sur l’enclave du Haut-Karabakh, disputee par
l’Armenie et l’Azerbaïdjan. La France est, aux côtes de la Russie et
des Etats-Unis, copresidente du ” groupe de Minsk ” de l’Organisation
pour la securite et la cooperation en Europe (OSCE), qui tente depuis
plus de dix ans d’aboutir a un règlement negocie. M. Chirac devait
plaider a Erevan pour que vienne ” le temps de la paix “, et appeler
l’Armenie et l’Azerbaïdjan a faire un ” pas ” pour debloquer l’impasse,
encore constatee en fevrier lors de pourparlers tenus dans le château
de Rambouillet.
La guerre du Haut-Karabakh (1988-1994), region d’où est originaire M.
Kotcharian, a fait environ 20 000 morts et près d’un million de
refugies. Elle s’est soldee par un cessez-le-feu fragile, en mai
1994, et l’occupation par l’Armenie d’importants pans du territoire
azerbaïdjanais, d’où la population a ete chassee, et dont des villes
et villages ont ete pilles. L’annexion de facto du Haut-Karabakh par
l’Armenie se percoit, a Erevan, par les devantures d’agences de voyages
proposant des excursions touristiques dans l’enclave montagneuse.
M. Chirac et son epouse devaient assister, samedi soir, a un concert
de Charles Aznavour, au centre d’Erevan, où le chanteur jouit d’une
immense popularite. Le president devait rencontrer dimanche le chef
de l’Eglise armenienne, le catholicos Karekine II, dans sa residence
d’Etchmiadzine. Environ 400 000 personnes en France sont d’origine
armenienne.
–Boundary_(ID_CacbOB/D8JfO d7rtHa4q4A)–

EU-ARMENIA RELATIONS TO GRADUALLY BECOME CLOSER, PRESIDENT OF FRANCE IS SURE
Noyan Tapan News Agency, Armenia
Sept 29 2006
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 29, NOYAN TAPAN. The European Union-Armenia
relations will gradually develop, and like the Armenian-French
relations, they will become closer. But one must not avoid regular
succession of stages. President of France Jacques Chirac expressed
this confidence in the September 28 interview to the “Hayastani
Hanrapetoutiun” (Republic of Armenia) newspaper. In his words,
the Armenia-European Union relations are still new ones. “But it
is the first stage. Nearest end of the negotiations on the European
Union-Armenia actions plan must give possibility to pass its whole
volume to the neighborhood policy,” the President of France said.
As for Turkey’s membership to the European Union, Jacques Chirac
expressed an opinion that this prospect is an important element to
keep Turkey on the way tiing to the West, choice of which it made.
“The membership itself supposes implementation of standards, fostering
of reforms. It is a demanding, long and difficult way. I am sure
it arisis of interests of both European Union and Armenia to see
Turkey striving for our values, our perception of the human rights,
peace, democracy,” he emphasized. Responding the question if France
will insist on opening the borders with Armenia and recognizing the
Armenian Genocide, J.Chirac said that he had spoken for opening the
borders many times at meetings with the Turkish authorities. “But it
is clear that this issue is very strongly connected with the Nagorno
Karabakh conflict settlement, and that the settlement progress may
have a decisive influence on this issue,” he mentioned, expressing
an opinion that it is possible today.
“As for the Armenian Genocide committed by the Ottaman Empire,
Europe is an effort for reconciliation, peace, respect and being open
towards others, which always and everywhere is turned into an effort
of memory,” the President of France emphasized, adding that if even
it is a long and difficult process, he trusts Turkey’s possibility
“to bring to end this duty of memory as the soul of creating Europe
is just this.”

JACQUES CHIRAC : LA TURQUIE SERAIT GRANDIE EN RECONNAISSANT LE GENOCIDE ARMENIEN
EuroNews – Version Francaise
30 septembre 2006
La Turquie doit reconnaître le genocide armenien si elle veut rejoindre
l’Union europeenne. Ce n’est pas la première fois que Jacques Chirac
fait ce genre de declaration. Cette fois, le president francais s’est
exprime a l’occasion de sa visite officielle de deux jours en Armenie,
une première pour un chef d’Etat francais. Des propos tenus au palais
presidentiel d’Erevan, après une visite du memorial de Tsitsernakaberd
a la memoire des victimes des massacres : “Tout pays se grandit en
reconnaissant ses drames et ses erreurs”.
Et Jacques Chirac de dresser un parallèle avec l’Allemagne qui s’est
grandie, a-t-il souligne, en reconnaissant la Shoah.
Le genocide armenien, officiellement reconnu par la France depuis 2001,
remonte a la première guerre mondiale. Jusqu’a un million et demi
d’Armeniens ont ete massacres par l’Empire Ottoman. Ankara, qui parle
de 300.000 a 500.000 victimes, refute le terme “genocide” et estime
qu’il s’agit d’un conflit ayant fait des victimes des deux côtes.
–Boundary_(ID_WVun+aJWT/23Ug6dtuFUag )–
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

KARABAKH: CHIRAC DEFEND LE GROUPE DE MINSK
Agence France Presse
30 septembre 2006 samedi
Le president francais Jacques Chirac a defendu le travail du groupe de
Minsk, qui tente de trouver une solution au differend entre l’Armenie
et l’Azerbaïdjan sur le Nagorny-Karabakh.
“Les experts du groupe de Minsk, depuis des annees, font un bon
travail, naturellement sur un sujet infiniment complexe”, a indique
M. Chirac en conference de presse a l’occasion de sa visite d’Etat
de vendredi a dimanche en Armenie.
Reconnaissant que les propositions de ce groupe pouvaient etre
contestees par Erevan ou Bakou, Jacques Chirac a juge qu'”elles
emanent de gens competents et de bonne volonte”.
“Dans ce contexte, vouloir transferer la responsabilite du groupe de
Minsk a d’autres experts qui par definition connaîtront beaucoup moins
le problème et depuis beaucoup moins longtemps, qui n’auront pas la
memoire des choses, honnetement, je crois que c’est une facilite qui
n’est pas justifiee et qui risque de creer plus de difficultes que
de satisfation”, a juge le president francais.
Sans vouloir exclure le groupe de Minsk, l’Azerbaïdjan, qui critique
ces mediateurs, souhaite que d’autres organisations, notamment les
Nations unies et le Conseil de l’Europe, se penchent sur cette question
de l’enclave disputee du Nagorny Karabakh.
Le processus de negociations continue malgre l’echec des entretiens de
Rambouillet (France) en fevrier. Le groupe de Minsk est mandate par
l’OSCE (Organisation pour la securite et la cooperation en Europe)
et constitue des Etats-Unis, de la France et de la Russie.
Le Nagorny Karabakh est une enclave habitee en majorite par une
population armenienne et qui a fait secession de l’Azerbaïdjan après
un conflit meurtrier au debut des annees 1990.
Un cessez-le-feu est intervenu en 1994, mais la situation reste tendue.
–Boundary_(ID_9e+6LInvVnRqO7W4F3qf6w)–
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

VISITE DE JACQUES CHIRAC AU PATRIARCHE DE TOUS LES ARMENIENS
Agence France Presse
1 octobre 2006 dimanche 6:21 AM GMT
Le president francais Jacques Chirac a rendu visite dimanche au
Patriarche Supreme et Catholicos de tous les Armeniens, Sa Saintete
Karenine II, dernière etape de sa visite d’Etat en Armenie.
“En souvenir de cette emouvante visite dans le coeur spirituel de
l’Armenie et du grand peuple armenien”, a ecrit a l’issue de la visite
le chef de l’Etat francais sur le livre d’or.
M. Chirac, qui etait accompagne de son epouse Bernadette pour cette
visite, devait regagner Paris dimanche.
L’Eglise apostolique armenienne est l’une des Eglises d’Orient et
elle est dirigee par le Catholicos de tous les Armeniens, Sa Saintete
Karenine II, 55 ans, qui a ete intronise en 1999.
Le christianisme, arrive très tôt en Armenie, y est devenu religion
d’Etat en 301. En 555, l’Eglise armenienne a opere un schisme, pour
des raisons theologiques mais aussi politiques, après son Concile
de Chalcedoine. Rome a leve au 17e siècle l’anathème qui frappait
cette Eglise.
En 1996, le pape Jean-Paul II et le Catholicos de tous les Armeniens
ont signe une “declaration commune sur la Christologie”, qui enterre
les querelles theologiques, sans trancher sur la question de l’exercice
de la primaute du pape.
–Boundary_(ID_8ol2pD5Wtk9Rm1IBIu6jig)–

VISITE EMPREINTE D’EMOTION POUR CHIRAC EN ARMENIE
Agence France Presse
30 septembre 2006 samedi
Le president francais Jacques Chirac a effectue samedi une visite
d’Etat empreinte d’emotion en Armenie, où la question des massacres
d’Armeniens entre 1915-1917 dans l’Empire ottoman, reconnus par la
France comme un “genocide”, a ete omnipresente.
M. Chirac a a cette occasion presse la Turquie de proceder a une
reconnaissance similaire avant de pouvoir adherer a l’Union europeenne.
“C’est avec une emotion profonde que je decouvre la terre d’Armenie”,
a lance Jacques Chirac, saluant “l’histoire heroïque et tourmentee
de ce peuple d’Armenie issu de la plus haute antiquite”.
“Je pense a tous les survivants de cette tragedie qui durent prendre
les chemins d’un douloureux exil”, a-t-il ajoute en evoquant, devant
plusieurs milliers d’Armeniens reunis sur la “place de France”
a peine inauguree a Erevan, les tueries de 1915-1917.
Au cours de cette periode, les massacres et deportations d’Armeniens
dans l’Empire ottoman ont fait plus de 1,5 million de morts, selon
les Armeniens, entre 250.000 et 500.000 selon les Turcs qui refutent
la notion de genocide.
M. Chirac a debute la première journee de sa visite d’Etat par un
hommage aux victimes.
Accompagne de son epouse Bernadette, le chef de l’Etat a depose
une gerbe au pied du Tsitsernakaberd, le “Monument au genocide des
Armeniens”, en presence du couple presidentiel armenien.
Parmi ses invites de la diaspora armenienne, le numero un mondial
du caviar Armen Petrossian confiait etre “submerge par l’emotion”,
le journaliste Daniel Bilalian eclatait en sanglot et le footballeur
Youri Djorkaeff observait, fige, la minute de silence.
La France est devenue en 2001 le premier grand pays europeen a
reconnaître comme “genocide” ces evenements par une loi, alors qu’un
grand nombre de pays ne retiennent pas cette qualification.
En conference de presse, Jacques Chirac a enfonce le clou en jugeant
que la Turquie devait proceder a une reconnaissance similaire avant
de pouvoir adherer a l’Union europeenne. “Tout pays se grandit en
reconnaissant ses drames et ses erreurs”, a-t-il juge.
“Quand de surcroît il s’agit de s’integrer dans un ensemble qui
revendique l’appartenance a une meme societe et la croyance en de memes
valeurs, je pense qu’effectivement la Turquie serait bien inspiree
(…) d’en tirer les consequences”, a-t-il poursuivi.
Jusqu’a present, les Europeens n’ont pas fait de la reconnaissance
du genocide armenien de 1915 une condition de l’entree d’Ankara a l’UE.
“Nous conduirons avec les Turcs un travail d’explication”, a
indique l’entourage du chef de l’Etat, questionne par la presse sur
d’eventuelles vives reactions de la Turquie a ces propos.
Selon son entourage, Jacques Chirac, qui est favorable a l’entree de
la Turquie dans l’UE, juge que tout pays qui y adhère doit partager
ses valeurs, notamment au regard du reexamen de sa propre histoire,
a l’image de ce qu’ont fait l’Allemagne ou la France.
La Turquie a entame en octobre 2005 des negociations en vue d’une
entree dans l’UE dans dix ou quinze ans.
Accueilli par plusieurs milliers de personnes “place de France”,
Jacques Chirac a mentionne la dispute autour du Nagorny Karabakh,
une enclave habitee en majorite par des Armeniens et qui a fait
secession de l’Azerbaïdjan après un conflit meurtrier ayant debute
a la fin des annees 1980.
“Je veux croire que le temps de la paix est venu. Je veux le croire
parce que je connais le prix de la guerre”, a-t-il declare.
Il s’est ensuite lance dans un long bain de foule, suivi par Charles
Aznavour, veritable star en Armenie, dont les chansons etaient
diffusees a plein volume et qu’il a qualifie de “grand Francais,
grand Armenien et immense artiste”.
Charles Aznavour devait lancer samedi soir l’annee de l’Armenie en
France par un concert exceptionnel sur la “place de la Republique”,
devant M. Chirac et des milliers d’Armeniens.
–Boundary_(ID_PARs5r+vaxq5EyTi87l3z g)–

ARMENIE. CHIRAC APPELLE LA TURQUIE A RECONNAîTRE LE GENOCIDE
Le Telegramme , France
1 octobre 2006
” Tout pays se grandit en reconnaissant ses drames et ses erreurs “.
En visite d ‘ Etat en Armenie pour un deplacement sous le signe de l ‘
emotion et de la memoire, Jacques Chirac a appele , hier, la Turquie
a reconnaître le genocide armenien avant de pouvoir adherer a l ‘
Union europeenne.
” Faut-il que la Turquie reconnaisse le genocide armenien pour
entrer dans l ‘ Union ? “, a-t-il dit, reprenant la question d ‘
un journaliste lors d ‘ une conference de presse conjointe avec son
homologue armenien Robert Kotcharian. ” Honnetement, je le crois. ”
” Un effort de memoire ”
” Peut-on dire que l ‘ Allemagne, qui a profondement reconnu la Shoah,
a pour autant perdu son credit ? Elle s ‘ est grandie. On pourrait le
dire pour la France dans d ‘ autres circonstances et pour beaucoup d
‘ autres pays. Un pays, une nation, se grandit toujours de reconnaître
les erreurs qu ‘ elle a pu commettre “, a ajoute le president francais.
En France, le Parlement a adopte le 29 janvier 2001 une loi
reconnaissant le genocide armenien, en sanctionnant les propos
negationnistes. Et en 2004, Jacques Chirac avait appele la Turquie
a faire ” un effort de memoire “.
L’Armenie a l’honneur en France
Jacques Chirac est personnellement favorable a l ‘ entree de la
Turquie dans l ‘ UE, qui fait debat dans les pays membres. L ‘ Union
n ‘ a cependant jamais pose la reconnaissance du genocide comme ”
precondition ” a Ankara, et Paris s ‘ etait jusqu ‘ ici abstenu de
faire le lien.
Autre temps fort de cette visite, le concert exceptionnel qu ‘a donne ,
hier soir sur la place de la Republique, au centre de la capitale, le
plus Francais des Armeniens, ou le plus Armenien des Francais, Charles
Aznavour. L’occasion de lancer l’annee de l ‘ Armenie en France,
pays qui compte quelque 400.000 citoyens d ‘ origine armenienne.
GRAPHIQUE: Photo, Legende: Après avoir appele la Turquie a reconnaître
le genocide armenien, Jacques Chirac a inaugure la ” Place de Paris “,
au coeur d’Erevan , en presence de son homologue armenien.
–Boundary_(ID_Ujsk+h8TLOtrYZTzpmNlsg)- –

FRANCE’S CHIRAC ENDS ARMENIA TRIP WITH VISIT TO RELIGIOUS LEADER
Agence France Presse — English
October 1, 2006 Sunday 10:24 AM GMT
French President Jacques Chirac departed for Paris on Sunday after
ending a two-day state visit to Yerevan by meeting with Armenia’s
top religious leader.
Chirac made a morning visit to His Holiness Karekin II, the Supreme
Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, signing the religious
leader’s guest book “in memory of this moving visit to the spiritual
heart of Armenia and the great Armenian people”.
A large part of Chirac’s visit to the impoverished moutain republic
was devoted to commemorating the World War I-era massacres of hundreds
of thousands of Armenians, which Armenia says was genocide at the
hands of the Ottoman Turks.
Chirac began his visit with a stop at a memorial to the 1915-1917
killings, and afterward told journalists that Turkey ought to recognize
the event as genocide if it wants to join the European Union.
“Honestly, I believe so,” Chirac said in response to a question on
the topic. “All countries grow up acknowledging their dramas and
their errors.”
France, with 400,000 citizens of Armenian descent, officially
recognized the events as genocide in 2001, putting a strain on
relations with Turkey.
Previously, however, France had refused to make a direct link between
the genocide issue and Turkey’s EU membership bid. The bloc of 25
nations has not made it a condition.
Armenia has campaigned for Turkey to acknowledge the killings, in
which it says 1.5 million Armenians died, as genocide.
But Turkey argues that 300,000 Armenians and at least as many Turks
died in an internal conflict sparked by attempts by Armenians to win
independence in eastern Anatolia.
Chirac also met with his Armenian counterpart Robert Kocharian during
the two-day visit and attended a concert at which veteran French
singer and movie star Charles Aznavour, who is of Armenian origin,
launched a series of events called “A Year of Armenia in France”.

Press Release
Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
Contact: V.Rev.Fr.Krikor Chiftjian, Communications Officer
Tel: (04) 410001, 410003
Fax: (04) 419724
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:
PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon
Armenian version:
AN OFFICE FOR EDUCATIONAL AND ARMENOLOGICAL PROJECTS IS ESTABLISHED
IN ANTELIAS
The Catholicosate of Cilicia’s multifaceted mission was highlighted
particularly in the fields of educational, religious, Armenian
education and Armenological publications in the last few years. The
seminars and educational conferences that recently gathered various
Diaspora communities in Antelias, the meetings between educational
committees and the efforts to develop Armenian education have opened
up new horizons for the Catholicosate of Cilicia.
True to this commitment to preserve Armenian identity in foreign
countries, a special office to coordinate such projects was established
in Antelias with an official epistle from His Holiness Aram I and
the consent of the National Central Committee.
Prominent Lebanese Armenian intellectual and writer Sarkis Giragossian
has been appointed as the director of that office. He will also assume
full responsibility of the Armenian and literary teachings in the
Seminary of the Catholicosate of Cilicia.
The office will oversee and organize yearly conferences and
publications in various fields.
##
The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates
of the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the
history and mission of the Cilician Catholicosate, you may refer
to the web page of the Catholicosate, The
Cilician Catholicosate, the administrative center of the church is
located in Antelias, Lebanon.