JACQUES GUYON: ENCORE UNE LOI QUI FAIT UNE HISTOIRE
Charente Libre
18 mai 2006
Une fois encore, les historiens se retrouvent en butte a cette
tentation qu’ont les parlementaires de vouloir instaurer une histoire
officielle, erigee en verite intangible et a laquelle on ne peut que
se soumettre.
Et voila a nouveau les historiens remontes comme des pendules
contre les parlementaires ! Hier c’etait contre ceux de l’UMP qui
avaient vote la loi finalement ravalee sur l’aspect positif de la
colonisation. Aujourd’hui, c’est contre des deputes socialistes qui ont
pris l’initiative de deposer une proposition de loi visant a instituer
des sanctions penales contre la negation du genocide armenien.
Une fois encore, les historiens se retrouvent en butte a cette
tentation qu’ont ces temps-ci les parlementaires de vouloir instaurer
une histoire officielle, erigee en verite intangible et a laquelle
on ne peut que se soumettre au risque de sanctions penales. Cette
tentation très totalitaire – l’histoire officielle a de tout temps ete
l’apanage des dictatures – se pare une fois encore de plus ou moins
bons sentiments. Il s’agirait de lutter contre le negationnisme. Sauf
que ce negationnisme-la vient d’abord, et depuis 1918, du gouvernement
turc. Sauf que si on entend depuis quelques semaines les menaces
de retorsion economique d’Ankara, personne ne peut imaginer une
seconde que c’est cette loi qui va lui faire changer sa lecture
de l’histoire. Si ce pays reconnaît les massacres de centaines de
milliers d’Armeniens, il refute le terme de genocide.
Dès lors, on imagine mal qu’un jour la justice francaise condamne
(comme le prevoit le texte depose ce matin a l’Assemblee) le Premier
ministre turc, Recep Erdogan, a un an de prison et 45 000 euros
d’amende… Par contre, la loi du 29 janvier 2001 par laquelle l’Etat
francais (comme ensuite le Parlement europeen) a reconnu ces massacres
comme le premier genocide du XXe siècle, est largement suffisante pour
amener Ankara a plus de realisme: il suffit de lier l’adhesion de ce
pays a l’UE a cette condition. Il est d’ailleurs piquant que ce soit
du parti socialiste, qui pourtant milite pour l’entree de la Turquie,
que vienne cette initiative… Pour ce qui est des profanations
de monuments armeniens ou autres actes inadmissibles commis sur
le sol francais, il existe un arsenal juridique suffisant pour les
sanctionner sans qu’une nouvelle loi vienne epaissir notre maquis
juridique. Dès lors, on ne peut que s’etonner de cette initiative
parlementaire qui ne fait qu’en rajouter a la judiciarisation
actuelle et ne peut qu’encourager la victimisation galopante et les
surenchères communautaires. A moins precisement que les voix de la
forte communaute armenienne de France aient un tout autre echo a la
veille des elections de 2007. Si cette loi etait votee, nul doute que
les historiens de demain y verraient comme une loi… de circonstances.
–Boundary_(ID_4+7U6byb9QwuA2a77bb vWQ)–

‘ARMENIAN IMMIGRANTS HAVE TO BE RETURNED TODAY OTHERWISE IT WILL BE TOO LATE’
By Ruzan Poghosian
AZG Armenian Daily
18/05/2006
Ara Abrahamian Assures
On May 16, Ara Abrahamian, chairman of the World Armenian Congress
and the Union of Armenians of Russia, answered journalists’
question on a number of political and economic issues. In the
present stage, Mr. Abrahamian thinks, it’s urgent that we create
a national program and ideology that will broaden perspectives for
stronger Armenia-Diaspora ties. To achieve this goal the WAC keeps
on expanding to Armenian communities worldwide and plans to set up a
representation for the Western-Armenians. In his words, that is the
only way to organize repatriation.
“Economic development, clean-cut Armenia-Diaspora relations
and creation of necessary mechanisms are vital for the state’s
existence. Working hand in hand with the Diaspora we have to create
conditions and workplaces for the people hunting jobs abroad to
return. We need to start it now otherwise it will be too late as they
will have time to integrate into foreign cultures,” Ara Abrahamian
said.
Commenting on recent inner political developments, particularly the
withdrawal of Orinats Yerkir Party from coalition, Mr. Abrahamian said:
“My assessment is negative as far as I am aware of this incident. Yet,
every political party and authority makes his own decisions; we need
to wait and see what will come next. It’s not good that the coalition
may collapse and that a party can fall down in an overnight. Time
will show who was right and who was wrong,” Ara Abrahamian said.
He thinks it’s untimely to speak of his structure’s participation in
the parliamentary elections 2007.
It’s up to the Union of Armenians of Russia to decide the format and
extent of participation taking into account the legislation of Armenia
and Russia. “We will try not to break the political calm,” he said.

100 MILLION VIEWRS WILL WATCH “EUROVISION-2006”
ArmRadio.am
18.05.2006 16:46
The TV audience of “Eurovision-2006” will reach 100 million people,
head of the monitoring council of the contest Svante Stockselius said,
Greek media report.
“It is predicted that the final to be held on Saturday will be watched
by about 100 million viewers,” Stockselius said.
He noted that this year the contest will hit a record also with the
number of journalists. 2 000 thousand reporters arrived in Athens to
highlight the musical festival.
Member of the organizing committee expressed his appreciation for the
current system of voting, where the best song is elected, according
to phone calls and messages of the viewers.
“Up to 20 calls can be made from one telephone number. After this the
telephone line will turn off automatically,” Stockselius declared,
noting also that this system is still far from being ideal.
“This contest is completely democratic. There is no phenomenon like
political voting,” the organizer said.
However, the statistics of the “Eurovision” says opposite. According to
it, such states as Greece and Cyprus always give high points to each
other. At the same time Turkey, which invaded the North of Cyprus,
has given only one point to Cypriot singers during the whole history
of existence of the contest.
It is known also that the Scandinavian and Baltic states usually vote
for each other.
37 countries will participate in the 51st “Eurovision” song festival.

GENOCIDE ARMENIEN : LIBERTE DE VOTE POUR LES DEPUTES UMP
Agence France Presse
18 mai 2006 jeudi
Bernard Accoyer, president du groupe UMP a l’Assemblee nationale,
a indique jeudi qu’il n’etait pas favorable a la proposition de loi
prevoyant de sanctionner la negation du genocide armenien, mais a
precise que les deputes UMP auraient “la liberte de vote”.
Rappelant la polemique sur la reconnaissance du “rôle positif” de la
colonisation francaise, Bernard Accoyer a fait valoir sur LCI qu’il
s’etait alors degage “un consensus politique pour dire la France ne
pouvait pas etre le seul pays du monde qui ecrirait l’histoire par
la loi”.
“Sur le principe de legiferer sur l’histoire, nous ne pensons pas a
l’UMP qu’il faille le faire. Sur le texte (deposee par le PS) il y
a liberte de vote”, a-t-il ajoute.
L’ancien ministre des Affaires etrangères Herve de Charette a juge
de son côte que c’etait “une sorte de peche contre l’intelligence
que de vouloir a tout prix ecrire l’histoire dans la loi”.
Il a en outre fait valoir, sur RMC Info, que la France a “des interets
puissants en Turquie” qu’il faut “prendre en consideration”.
Herve Mariton, depute UMP de la Drôme, proche de Dominique de
Villepin, a indique sur Canal + qu’il voterait la proposition de loi
socialiste. “Le genocide armenien est une des tragedies du XXè siècle
et cela honorera le Parlement”, a-t-il dit.
La proposition de loi socialiste destinee a punir la negation du
genocide armenien est examinee jeudi matin par l’Assemblee nationale.
–Boundary_(ID_SIQH6W2mfNSArpIoUazf2g) —

GENOCIDE ARMENIEN : “DOUBLE JEU” DU GOUVERNEMENT (DRAY, PS)
Agence France Presse
18 mai 2006 jeudi
Julien Dray, porte-parole du PS, a condamne jeudi les propos
du ministre des Affaires etrangères tenus lors du debat sur la
proposition de loi socialiste visant a sanctionner la negation du
genocide armenien, et a denonce un “double jeu” du gouvernement.
La seance consacree a cette proposition de loi, jeudi matin a
l’Assemblee nationale, a ete levee sans que le vote ait eu lieu.
Philippe Douste-Blazy avait, lors de la discussion, estime que le
texte serait, s’il etait adopte, “considere comme un geste inamical
par la très grande majorite du peuple turc”, au risque de “consequences
politiques serieuses”.
“D’eventuelles difficultes diplomatiques ou consequences commerciales
ne peuvent en aucun cas justifier que l’on renonce a la primaute
des Droits de l’Homme”, repond M. Dray dans un communique. “Un tel
raisonnement a pu etre tenu dans d’autres circonstances historiques,
et l’humanite en a paye le prix”.
“Le Parti socialiste denonce le double jeu auquel se livre le
gouvernement et qui consiste a reconnaître le genocide armenien tout
en refusant de lui donner effet, en en sanctionnant la negation”,
conclut le porte-parole.
–Boundary_(ID_2UYCKSwvjb2yRtCEGeln pw)–

FIRST CONSIGNMENT OF RUSSIAN MILITARY EQUIPMENT SENT TO ARMENIA
By Aghavni Harutyunian
AZG Armenian Daily
18/05/2006
Today, part of the Russian military equipment will leave Akhalkalak,
Georgia, to reach Armenia. In accordance with the agreement of March
31 2006, the Russian military motorcade will head to Armenia from 12th
military station in Batumi. Military tracks loaded with communication
facilities, engineering equipment etc will head for the 102d Russian
base in Gyumri.
According to Georgian media, 6 echelons of Russian equipment will
set off for Armenia from Batumi.

THE NUMBER OF VACANT POSTS INCREASES
A1+
[05:29 pm] 18 May, 2006
According to the decisions of RA Prime Minister Andranik Margaryan
Gagik Aslanyan, deputy minister of RA Regional Government, Artak
Sahradyan, deputy minister of RA Education and Science and Hrachya
Musayelyan, deputy minister of RA Energy were dismissed from their
posts.
According to other decisions of the RA Prime Minister Vahe Vardapetyan
was dismissed from the post of regional governor of Tavush marz and
Hrachik Khachatryan was dismissed from the post of deputy regional
governor of Aragatsotni marz.

THE ROADS WILL BE RECONSTRUCTED
A1+
[07:49 pm] 18 May, 2006
IN THE GOVERNMENT SESSION
About 598 million AMD will be allocated to the RA Ministry of
Transportation and Communication to implement construction works of
Voskepar-Baghanis road section of Voskepar-Noyemberyan highway which
is of intergovernmental importance. The Ministry of Transportation
and Communication is allowed to select contractor-organization
through contest.
MINISTRY OF DEFENSE WILL GIVE ITS TERRITORY
While discussing the procedure of implementation of investment contract
N1 signed between the RA Ministry of Defense and “Ingeokom-Yerevan”
LTD on March 19, 2005, the two sides decided to annul the agreement
in order to cease the commitments of the “Ingeokom-Yerevan” LTD as
the main contractor of the MD building complex through compensating
the expenditure.
The bill foresees compensation of 3 milliard 825 million AMD equal
to 8.5 million USD to the company for the planning and constructive
assembling works of the MD building complex. Besides, a territory of
4844 square meters on Admiral Isakov Avenue belonging to RA Ministry
of Defense will be given to the Ingeokom-Yerevan”LTD.
AYVAZYAN IS NO LONGER AN INSPECTOR
According to the decision of the Government, the provision of the
legislation of the RA Ministry of Environment according to which the
minister is at the same time the chief inspector of the RA Environment,
is out of force as according to the law on “RA Environment Control”
the chief state inspector of the RA Environment is the RA Environment
state board chief.
JUNE 14 IS THE DAY OF PRISONERS
The Government approved of the amendments of the bill on the “dates of
RA holidays and memories” introduced by the initiative law enforcing
group. The bill foresees to celebrate June 14 as the day of prisoners
and people subjected to torture in the years of Soviet period.

WILL GOOD MONITORING PUNISH ENTERPRISES?
Panorama.am
16:13 18/05/06
Several substances exceeded the set norm in the composition of air in
our republic, including dust by 1,5 times, sulfur dioxide by 2,2 times,
nitrogen dioxide 2,7 times. The monitoring was conducted in March,
this year, studying 1572 samples. The ministry has not analyzed yet
the results of April monitoring.
The figures may not be very accurate because of old
equipment. Specialists also need training. Simon Papyan, Environmental
Protection deputy minister said today that the presented data do
not comply with international standards but are good guides in the
field.

TO RECOGNIZE GENOCIDE MEANS TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR IT
Panorama.am
16:21 18/05/06
Discussions on the initiative of World Armenian Congress (WAC)
to apply to international judicial bodies on the Armenian genocide
continued today in closed-door session of WAC experts. Prominent
scientists from Armenia, Russia, USA, Germany, Israel and Austria
were among the commission.
At the moment, the experts work on a document which is a result of 50
scientists’ work from 17 countries. It considers different approaches
for bringing to responsibility for the Armenian genocide within the
framework of international judicial bodies.
According to Mihran Dabah, Director of the Institute of Diaspora and
Genocide at a German University, Armenians have considerable success
in recognition of the genocide. “We have reached a phase when not
only we continue work in different countries for the recognition of
the Armenian genocide but also the mere fact of denying it has become
punishable, for example in France.” According to the expert, before
applying to any international court it is advisable to know what the
consequences will be. “For me the most important thing is to stop
“hystorification” of the issue which would give Turkey time. Another
problem is that the countries to which we apply for recognition
of genocide may say they are waiting for the court ruling.” Mihran
Dabah says “to recognize genocide means to take responsibility for
it.”
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress