ITAR-TASS News Agency
TASS
July 6, 2004 Tuesday 3:38 PM Eastern Time
Armenia sets no prelim terms for opening borders with Turkey
By Svetlana Alexandrova, Alexandra Urusova
MOSCOW
Armenia “has set no preliminary terms for opening its borders with
Turkey. Our borders are open,” Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan
Oskanyan said on Tuesday. Oskanyan is on an official visit in Moscow.
“It is not Armenia that should open the borders, they are open from
our side,” he stressed. According to Oskanyan, Yerevan would like to
have its relations with Istanbul “restored without any preliminary
terms.”
“We wish Turkey would open the borders from its side,” the Armenian
foreign minister concluded.

ITAR-TASS News Agency
TASS
July 6, 2004 Tuesday 3:38 PM Eastern Time
Interaction with Armenia among Russia foreign policy priorities
By Svetlana Alexandrova, Alexandra Urusova
MOSCOW
The latest meeting of the Minsk group of the Organization for
Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) for the settlement of the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict showed that the sides are ready to look for
the solution to this long-standing problem, Russian Foreign Minister
Sergei Lavrov said on Tuesday following the talks with his Armenian
counterpart Vardan Oskanyan.
The Russian minister pointed to the “coincidence of the positions of
the two countries virtually on all the questions of the bilateral and
international agenda”.
He stressed that interaction with Armenia “is a priority trend in
Russian foreign policy”. “This is fully manifested in such areas as
cooperation in investment, trade and economic partnership and the
political dialogue”.
He said the recently formed Russo-Armenian business council
contributed much to the development of relations. Lavrov said
cooperation between the two countries within the framework of the
CIS, United Nations and the Council of Europe was discussed at the
meeting.
In his turn, Vardan Oskanyan expressed satisfaction with the results
of the talks with Sergei Lavrov. “I am sure that our political
dialogue will be continued, especially now that many interesting
events take place in our region”, he said.

ITAR-TASS News Agency
TASS
July 6, 2004 Tuesday 3:38 PM Eastern Time
World Armenian Congress worried over church destruction
MOSCOW
The World Armenian Congress has expressed concern over the condition
of the Akhtamar Saint Cross Church – a unique monument of medieval
Armenian architecture, which is situated in Turkey, on an island in
Lake Van.
The Saint Cross Church was built in 915-921, says a statement of the
World Armenian Congress received by Itar-Tass. It is so much
dilapidated now that “soon only ruins will be left of it.”
The World Armenian Congress urged the Turkish and Armenian
governments to take steps without delay for restoring the Akhtamar
Saint Cross Church and to hold talks with the participation of
international experts from UNESCO for outlining measures to be taken
for restoring this and other Armenian architectural monuments on the
Turkish territory.

ZORYAN INSTITUTE OF CANADA, INC.
255 Duncan Mill Rd., Suite 310
Toronto, ON, Canada M3B 3H9
Tel: 416-250-9807 Fax: 416-512-1736 E-mail: [email protected]
PRESS RELEASE
CONTACT: GEORGE SHIRINIAN
DATE: June 30, 2004
Tel: 416-250-9807
ZORYAN INSTITUTE OF ACADEMIC AND CORPORATE BOARDS HOLD JOINT MEETING
TORONTO, CANADA – The members of the Zoryan Institute’s Corporate and
Academic boards just concluded a three-day meeting in Toronto on June 27 to
review the organization’s recent achievements, elect its directors and
officers for both boards for the coming term, and to discuss the future
direction of the Institute.
After welcoming remarks by Dr. Varouj Aivazian, Chair, and a review of the
organization’s structure by Kourken Sarkissian, President, Mig Migirdicyan
Treasurer, presented the financial statements, which have showed a steady
increase in revenues over the past five years. The Institute’s disbursements
have totaled over 1.7 million dollars during the past five years.
George Shirinian, Secretary of the Corporate Board, presented two new
candidates for appointment to the Academic Board. One, Stephan Astourian, is
Professor of History at the University of California-Berkeley, where he
teaches about the Armenian Genocide and Diaspora. The other, Lisa
Siraganian, is doing a post-doctoral fellowship at Dartmouth College in
Hanover, New Hampshire. Her specialty is American literature and she has
also done innovative film analysis of such directors as Rouben Mamoulian and
Atom Egoyan.
Chaired by Dr. Levon Chorbajian, the Academic Board’s approved the new
members and confirmed the new board, made up of the following members:
· Roger Smith, Chairman; Professor Emeritus of Government, College
of William and Mary, Williamsburg, VA.
· Varouj Aivazian, Deputy Chairman ex officio as Chairman of the
Corporate Board; Professor of Economics at the University of Toronto.
· Stephan Astourian, Professor of History, University of
California-Berkeley.
· Yair Auron, Senior Lecturer, Open University of Israel; Professor
of History, Hakibbutzim College of Education, Tel-Aviv.
· Levon Chorbajian, Professor of Sociology, University of
Massachusetts, Lowell.
· Vahakn Dadrian, Director, Genocide Research, Zoryan Institute.
· Eliz Sanasarian, Professor of Political Science, University of
Southern California, Los Angeles.
· Lisa Siraganian, Post-doctoral Fellow in English Literature at
Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH.
· Khachig Tölölyan, Professor of English Literature, Wesleyan
University; Editor, Diaspora: A Journal of Transnational Studies.
Detailed reports on the Institute’s projects were then presented, each
followed by questions and discussion.
Vahakn Dadrian reviewed the genocide-related activities of the Institute.
First, he described the importance of the publication this fall of The
Armenian Genocide 1915/16: Selected Documents from the Political Archives of
the German Foreign Office, edited by Wolfgang and Sigrid Gust. Zoryan began
its involvement in this project in 1999 and it has entailed many years of
research, translation and editorial work. Next, he discussed another
long-term project, which is to translate and publish selected articles from
Turkish newspapers published during the Armistice period just after WWI,
when there was no censorship in Turkey. These articles provide a wealth of
otherwise unknown detail from the daily testimony of witnesses called before
the Turkish Military Tribunal investigating crimes against the Armenians
perpetrated in Trabzon and Yozgat.
Khachig Tölölyan gave a status report on Diaspora: A Journal of
Transnational Studies, now in its twelfth continuous year, which Zoryan
co-publishes with the University of Toronto Press. The number of submissions
is now so high that only one article in five gets published.
A presentation was made of Zoryan’s involvement, along with the University
of Minnesota, in a large project to “Create a Common Body of Knowledge” in
English and Turkish, whereby the fundamental sources of information related
to the Armenian Genocide would be freely available to all interested parties
and could facilitate an informed and rational debate about this provocative
subject. Traditionally, it has been difficult for those living in Turkey to
have access to this information in their own language, but gradually this
need is being addressed.
Yair Auron discussed the impact of his long-term study of Jewish and Israeli
attitudes towards the Armenian and other genocides. While university
students want to know more about these subjects, the Israeli government’s
official policy is to deny that what happened to the Armenians in 1915 was
genocide, and teaching about the Armenian Genocide in the educational system
has not been officially approved. Among the projects planned in Israel, he
proposed that a conference about the Armenian Genocide take place in Israel
next year.
Roger Smith provided details on the Genocide and Human Rights University
Program, which brings together a dozen of the foremost scholars on genocide
with some two dozen students from around the world to explore several case
studies-the Jewish Holocaust, the Cambodian Genocide and the Rwandan
Genocide-with reference to the Armenian Genocide as the archetype of
genocide in the twentieth century. This year, for the first time, the
program will take place in both Toronto and Minneapolis in partnership with
the University of Minnesota, and students attending the program in either
location have the option of receiving four graduate level semester credits.
The program’s aim is to prepare young scholars to pursue the study of the
Armenian Genocide and comparative genocide as their life’s work.
Souren Chekijian, who has been involved with the Oral History Project from
its inception, reported on the digitization of these priceless genocide
survivor interviews. There are 660 interviews running anywhere from one to
six hours or more. Approximately 50% of them have been digitized and
transferred onto DVD, for their preservation and to facilitate access. It is
hoped that the project will be completed by the end of the year.
Kourken Sarkissian discussed the establishment of a scholarship fund for
students pursuing a PhD in Armenian Genocide or comparative genocide
studies. Criteria are being developed and the scholarship fund will be
publicized soon. He also described Zoryan’s involvement in the Canadian
Museum of Human Rights, which is being prepared in Winnipeg, with the
participation of the Armenian Genocide Museum in Washington, DC, represented
by Dr. Rouben Adalian.
George Shirinian reported on a research project being conducted in the
Danish Missionary Archives in Copenhagen. Dr. Eric Markusen and several
graduate students are preparing a formal report on the materials there,
which document the work of Danish relief workers providing aid to Armenians
after the Genocide.
Zoryan’s plans to commemorate the 90th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide
were discussed at length, and new research proposals were debated and voted
on.
During what was perhaps the most important part of the weekend-long meeting,
a lengthy brainstorming session was devoted to the direction the board
wished to see the institute take in the coming years. This will be the basis
for ongoing planning for the next 3 years and beyond.
The following individuals were also confirmed as the Corporate Board’s
directors and officers for the coming term:
· Varouj Aivazian, Chairman
· Levon Chorbajian
· Arsinée Khanjian
· Mig Migirdicyan, Treasurer
· Greg Sarkissian, President of the Canadian Corp.
· George Shirinian, Secretary
· Roger Smith, ex officio as Chair of Academic Board
· Khachig Tölölyan, President of the US Corp.
The Zoryan Institute is a non-profit, international center devoted to the
research and documentation of contemporary issues related to the history,
politics, society, and culture of Armenia and Armenians around the world.
Please see attached photo of Zoryan board members, staff, and a few of the
invited guests.
Top Left: Yair Auron, Amanda Duncombe, Taner Akçam, Greg Sarkissian,
Sevan Mardirossian, Julie Gilmour, Anny Bakalian, Souren Chekijian, Narini
Badalian, George Shirinian.
Bottom Left: Levon Chorbajian, Lisa Siraganian, Vahakn Dadrian, Khachig
Tölölyan, Roger Smith, Varouj Aivazian.

ASBAREZ ONLINE
TOP STORIES
07/06/2004
TO ACCESS PREVIOUS ASBAREZ ONLINE EDITIONS PLEASE VISIT OUR
WEBSITE AT <;HTTP:// 1- ANCA Welcomes Sen. Kerry's Choice for Democratic Vice-Presidential Nominee 2- Pilgrimage to Seremjian Memorial 3- First Convention of European Armenians to Take Place at European Parliament 4- ARF's Nalbandian at Spanish Socialist Party Congress 5- Bolshoi Star Baritonist Pavel Lisitsian Dies at 93 6- Oskanian Discusses Karabagh on Russia Visit 1- ANCA Welcomes Sen. Kerry's Choice for Democratic Vice-Presidential Nominee WASHINGTON, DCThe Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) today welcomed the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry's announcement of Senator John Edwards (D-NC) as his Vice-Presidential running mate. "The ANCA welcomes John Kerry's choice of John Edwardsa friend of Armenian-Americans in North Carolina and around the nationas his running-mate," said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian. "The contrast between Senator Edwards and sitting Vice President Dick Cheney could not be more stark. John Edwards has consistently taken a stand for Armenian issues, while Dick Cheneyas Chairman of Halliburton and later as Vice Presidenthas consistently, often stridently, opposed issues of concern to Armenian American voters." Sen. Edwards, currently finishing his first term in the Senate, has been a staunch supporter of Armenian-American concerns. In 2002, he cosponsored S.Res.307, marking the 15th anniversary of the US implementation of the Genocide Convention. He was an original cosponsor of a similar bill currently in Congress, S.Res.164, spearheaded by Sen. John Ensign (R-NV) and Jon Corzine (D-NJ), which currently has 39 cosponsors. During his run for the Democratic presidential nomination, Sen. Edwards met with ANCA activists in May of 2003, at a private reception held in Los Angeles in his honor. There, ANCA-WR chairman Raffi Hamparian and board member Steven J. Dadaian discussed issues of concern to the Armenian-American community with Edwards. Hamparian spoke to the Senator about Turkey's illegal blockade of Armenia, to which Edwards responded that the "wrongful blockade" must end, stressing that America has to stand behind Armenia and let its neighbors know that "We [America] stand fully behind Armenia." In a statement before reception attendees, Edwards explained that it is in America's interest to recognize the Armenian Genocide and added that "It is the just thing to do. It is about time we [Americans] recognized it." Sen. Edwards' positions on Armenian-American concerns contrasts sharply to Republican vice-presidential nominee Dick Cheney's record. During his years serving in the US Congress, Cheney voted against resolutions commemorating the Armenian Genocide both in 1985 and 1987. In 1995, he joined the Halliburton Company, an oil and energy services corporation, and after his appointment as chairman of the board in 1996, worked extensively with the government of Azerbaijan in oil exploration ventures. He was a vocal advocate of efforts to repeal restrictions on US aid to Azerbaijan despite that country's ongoing blockades of Armenia and Mountainous Karabagh. In a keynote speech at a US-Azerbaijan Chamber of Commerce (USACC) conference on February 18, 1997, Cheney stated: "I must also say that I believe that our current policy prohibiting US assistance to Azerbaijan is seriously misguided. In my experience, this kind of unilateral sanction, based primarily on US domestic political considerations, is unwise. Such a policy limits US influence in any given situation, and in this case, it reduces rather than enhances the prospects for ultimately resolving a very complex and important set of regional issues." In 1997, Cheney, who was a member of the USACC "Honorary Council of Advisors," was awarded its "Freedom Support" award, for his "outstanding services to this organization [USACC] as well as contribution toward promoting peace, democracy, freedom and economic development in Azerbaijan and a closer cooperation between the United States and Azerbaijan." 2- Pilgrimage to Seremjian Memorial PLOVDIV--Organized by the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) youth of Plovdiv, Bulgaria, a pilgrimage to the monument to Bedros Seremjian, Onnig Torosian and others heroes took place on June 29 in Plovdiv. Seremjian headed a mixed Armenian-Macedonian group in 1901 to battle Turkish troops in the Turko-Bulgarian border region, before they were captured and hanged in Adrianople (Edirne). Seremjian also took part in the small battles of Van, Shadakh, and was one of the most active and popular members of Bulgaria's ARF. Pilgrims included citizens, friends and relatives of the heroes, and representatives of sister organizations, including the Homenetmen scouts, and Bulgarian unions. ARF's Vachagan Giligian recalled Seremjian's last words: "Yes, I am a revolutionary, but don't forget that, today, I represent an ideology. Do you think that it is possible to hang an ideology at the gallows?" The ceremony ended with the singing of "Verkerov Li," a nationalistic song dedicated to Seremjian. 3- First Convention of European Armenians to Take Place at European Parliament BRUSSELS--The first Convention of European Armenians will be held October 18-19 at the European Parliament in Brussels, Belgium. Organized by the European Armenian Federation, the pan-European meeting will serve as a forum to share ideas and concerns on important topics for Armenian communities across Europe. European citizens of Armenian descent now number more than two million. Most immigrated in large waves as a result of the genocide perpetrated by Ottoman Turkey, the outbreak of war in the middle-east during the 1970s, and the fall of the Soviet Union. Though well-integrated in the economic, social, and cultural life of their new countries, they have kept their identity and their interest in Armenian issues. The convention will allow participants to discuss a number of issues to recent geopolitical events and socio-economic developments. More specifically, the convention will focus on Armenian culture and identity in Europe, EU-US relations, and the enlargement of the EU. "All European-Armenian associations, groups, and organizations are invited, regardless of their political or and religious affiliations," stated Hilda Tchoboian, chairwoman of the European Armenian Federation. "Through the first European Convention, we are not seeking to establish a superstructure that would replace the various organizations that deal with European-Armenian issue. Rather, we want to create a framework for free expression that will allow various positions and opinions to emerge." For more information about the conference visit 4- ARF's Nalbandian at Spanish Socialist Party Congress YEREVAN (Yerkir)--Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) Bureau member and ARF's representative in the Socialist International (SI) Mario Nalbandian, was among 120 guests at the 36th congress of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) that convened in Spain on July 2-4. Nalbandian had the opportunity to meet with PSOE leadership and representatives of other Socialist parties on the sidelines of the congress. The ARF recently became a full-fledged member of the SI and has boosted relations with the PSOE in recent years. The Congress of the 125-year-old party re-elected Prime Minister Jose Rodriguez Zapatero for a new four-year term as secretary general. Zapatero, the only candidate running for the position, garnered 96 percent of the 972 votes at the party congress. Zapatero, 43, became Spain's prime minister after his victory in the March 14 general elections. Addressing the Congress, Zapatero encouraged party members to sustain unity. He was first elected as the PSOE secretary general in April 2000. 5- Bolshoi Star Baritonist Pavel Lisitsian Dies at 93 After a lengthy illness baritonist Pavel Lisitsian, who once lead the Bolshoi Opera for over twenty-five years, died at the age of 93 at his summer home in Russia. Lisitsian was born into an Armenian working-class family and seemed destined to work in a factory. His vocal talents became so evident, however, that he began to take singing lessons, and eventually entered the Leningrad conservatory in 1932, while still working as an electric welder. Graduating from the conservatory, Pavel, like many other budding singers, signed with Leningrad's experimentalist Maly Opera Theater. After a brief stint there, he moved on to join an opera company in the Armenian capital Yerevan and, in 1940, he was admitted to the venerable Bolshoi Opera. "He was full of kindness and optimism, and had the ability to see the bright aspects of life. . . Nature endowed him with a velvet baritone tinged with subtle overtones conveying joy, tears, pain and happiness..." says Daughter Karina Lisitsian. Less than a year later, German troops crossed the Soviet border, and Lisitsian immediately volunteered to join a team of musicians performing at the frontlines and in military hospitals in Moscow. "We gave 72 concerts in just 26 days performing three to four times a day, sometimes right under enemy fire," he later recalled. He played a total of about 500 concerts during the war. "I sang many Russian, Armenian and Georgian folk songs," he had said. "There were people of many nationalities fighting at the frontlines and they really enjoyed them." After the war there was no stopping Lisitsian's fast growing fame. He sang at every single premiere the Bolshoi, including one of his all-time bests--the part of Germon in Giuseppe Verdi's La Traviata. "Dad wasn't one of those typical vocalists who used to take a two-days rest before a performance--speaking to no one so as not to strain their voice. I remember how on the eve of the premiere of Rimsky-Korsakov's 'Sadko,' dad spent the whole afternoon in his vegetable garden, digging the earth, and planting. He then ladled a pot of icy water out of a well, drank it, and went off to the premiere," recalls his daughter. In 1966 Lisitsian quit the Bolshoi to make way for the young new talents eager to take center stage. Lisitsian became one of the first Soviet soloist to perform at the La Scala, Metropolitan-Opera and New York's Carnegie Hall. For nearly a quarter of a century he conducted master-classes in Germany and he also ran a vocal studio at the Moscow Philharmonic Society. Lisitsian's pedagogical career was, perhaps, more versatile than even his concert activity. He consulted young singers absolutely free of charge, only to gain energy and vitality from the lessons. "I want my students to be more than just good singers," he said. "I want them to be educated, intelligent, and capable of fulfilling their ideas on stage. Opera singing is too complicated a profession to be taken lightly." Many of his student became laureates of international competitions. Lisitsian spent his long life filled with love for art and Dagmara Dolukhanova, his wife of over six decades. Three of his four children became singers and his family joined him to form the "Lisitsian Quartet." A superb interpreter of Armenian (folk) songs, he became one of the most popular singers of the Soviet Union and was recognized by the government as the "People's Artist of the USSR." 6- Oskanian Discusses Karabagh on Russia Visit MOSCOW (RFE/RL)--The Mountainous Karabagh conflict and economic issues were key during Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian's talks with senior Russian officials in Moscow on Tuesday. Oskanian met with Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and high-level lawmakers during his visit to the Russian capital. "We discussed the Karabagh problem and can talk about some positive movements there," Lavrov told a joint news conference with his Armenian counterpart. He cited the recent series of meetings between the Armenian and Azeri foreign ministers as well as the "more active" work of the Russian, French and US co-chairs of the OSCE's Minsk Group. Both Lavrov and Oskanian would not go into details of their discussions on Karabagh. The latter said only that he is "very satisfied" with the results of the talks. "This shows that the agenda of our dialogue is quite extensive and deep." A separate statement by the Armenian Foreign Ministry said Oskanian briefed Lavrov on his trilateral meeting in Istanbul last week with the Azeri and Turkish foreign ministers. The statement said Russian-Armenian commercial ties was another major topic of the Moscow talks, with both sides agreeing on the need for "restoring transportation means" between the two allied states. "The Russian side promised to keep the issue at the center of its attention," it said. Oskanian was also cited as calling for a "prompt revival" of the five state-run Armenian enterprises that were handed over to Russia last year as part of a swap agreement to settle Yerevan's $100 million debt to Moscow. This was Oskanian's first official visit to the country since becoming Armenia's foreign minister in 1998. Lavrov, who was the Kremlin's longtime representative to the United Nations before becoming foreign minister recently, used the opportunity to reveal his ethnic Armenian roots to journalists. "I have Armenian blood," he announced. "My father is an Armenian from Tbilisi." All subscription inquiries and changes must be made through the proper carrier and not Asbarez Online. ASBAREZ ONLINE does not transmit address changes and subscription requests. (c) 2004 ASBAREZ ONLINE. All Rights Reserved. ASBAREZ provides this news service to ARMENIAN NEWS NETWORK members for academic research or personal use only and may not be reproduced in or through mass media outlets.

Le Figaro, France
02 juillet 2004
Turquie : il n’y a rien d’irréversible;
EUROPE Au moment où les Pays-Bas prennent la présidence de l’Union
pour six mois
par Nicolas DUPONT-AIGNAN
En déclarant à Ankara lors du sommet de l’Otan que « le mouvement
conduisant à l’entrée de la Turquie dans l’Union européenne est
irréversible et au total souhaitable », Jacques Chirac met le peuple
français devant un fait accompli inacceptable et dangereux.
En engageant la France, sans même envisager de consulter les
Français, le président de la République tourne le dos aux principes
fondateurs de la Ve République qui voulaient que les choix décisifs
pour l’avenir du pays soient ratifiés par référendum. De surcroît,
l’entrée de la Turquie dans l’UE n’a jamais fait l’objet d’un débat
au Parlement, ni figuré dans un programme présidentiel. Prendre
prétexte de la continuité de la politique française depuis le
rapprochement initié par le général de Gaulle avec la Turquie pour
favoriser son adhésion est un contresens car, à cette époque, l’Union
européenne n’avait rien à voir avec l’ensemble intégré qu’elle est
devenue aujourd’hui.
On peut d’ailleurs refuser l’entrée de la Turquie en Europe sans pour
autant nier l’importance de ce pays dans l’équilibre géopolitique du
continent européen, ni btir avec lui un partenariat solide, comme on
le fait par exemple avec le Maghreb.
Reconnaître comme irréversible l’entrée de la Turquie revient, moins
d’un mois après l’élection du Parlement européen, à balayer d’un
revers de la main la position de tous les partis politiques de la
majorité et plus largement d’une grande majorité de Français. Au
moment où les Français sont de plus en plus las de cette Europe qui
se construit sans eux, voire contre eux, il est dangereux pour la
santé démocratique de la France de vouloir une fois de plus passer en
force. L’histoire a amplement démontré qu’il est vain de vouloir
gouverner contre le peuple.
Si vraiment les chefs d’Etat et de gouvernement sont si sûrs de
l’utilité de l’entrée de la Turquie dans l’UE, pourquoi ne font-ils
pas alors valoir leurs arguments devant les peuples souverains ?
C’est tout le sens de la pétition nationale « Un million de
signatures pour un double référendum » que vient de lancer Debout la
République. La perspective de l’entrée de la Turquie dans l’Union
s’inscrit en effet dans le cadre de la future Constitution qui
asseoit la représentation des Etats au prorata de la population. Dans
vingt ans la Turquie aura près de 100 millions d’habitants et
détiendra ainsi près de 20 % des droits de vote du Conseil européen
loin devant la France.
Comment considérer comme « européen » l’ancien empire ottoman, situé
pour l’essentiel hors de notre continent ? A l’évidence, intégrer la
Turquie à l’Europe serait aussi pertinent que d’encourager l’Espagne
à adhérer à l’Organisation des Etats Africains ! Nier à ce point la
géographie, c’est prendre le risque d’une grave déstabilisation de
l’Union. La dynamique nationale turque est d’ailleurs au moins autant
tournée vers l’Asie centrale turcophone (au point qu’Ankara accorde
sur simple demande aux ressortissants de ces anciennes républiques
soviétiques la nationalité turque) que vers la Méditerranée.
Souvenons-nous aussi que l’histoire commune turco-européenne, si
souvent invoquée par les partisans de l’adhésion, a essentiellement
été placée sous le signe d’une expansion militaire et religieuse que
les Européens n’ont définitivement refoulée qu’à l’extrême fin du
XIXe siècle !
La démographie turque ne rapproche pas davantage ce pays des nations
d’Europe : outre qu’elle compte de nombreuses communautés émigrées
dans l’Union (qui fausseraient la donne électorale dans les pays
d’accueil en cas d’adhésion), la Turquie n’a toujours pas délimité
ses frontières et refuse de reconnaître le génocide arménien.
Quant à la question essentielle de la laïcité turque, elle est
beaucoup plus ambiguë qu’elle n’y paraît : d’un côté, celle-ci est
imparfaite et précaire (elle constitue une sorte de concordat, par
nature révocable), de l’autre, seules des élites extrêmement
minoritaires s’en revendiquent. En fait, cette quasi-vitrine laïque
ne tient que par la volonté de l’armée, au détriment de la bonne
santé démocratique du pays. La victoire électorale récente des
islamistes, qui sont loin de chérir la modernité occidentale malgré
leurs dénégations, est emblématique de ce dilemme…
Pourquoi alors l’entêtement de certains dirigeants européens ?
Hétéroclites comme toutes les justifications qui étayent les
mauvaises causes, les raisons ne manquent pas : routine d’une
construction européenne « au petit bonheur la chance » fondée sur
l’inconséquence de la fuite en avant, opportunisme électoral
(Schröder), acharnement à diluer l’UE dans l’Otan (Angleterre et
Etats-Unis), posture bien-pensante qui consiste à brandir un
universalisme détourné pour cacher une incapacité morale à assumer
les différences… Mais, dans ces conditions, pourquoi ne pas
proposer conjointement des négociations d’adhésion à l’Ukraine, à la
Biélorussie, à la Moldavie, à Israël et aux pays arabes du pourtour
de la Méditerranée ? Le temps n’est-il donc pas venu, au contraire,
de reconnaître l’erreur du sommet d’Helsinki, qui a
malencontreusement ouvert la voie de l’adhésion turque ?
Etre l’ami de la Turquie (ce qui est le cas de la France) consiste à
lui dire la vérité et à lui proposer une solution alternative : celle
d’un partenariat nouveau permettant à ce grand pays de jouer
pleinement son rôle à la charnière de l’Europe, de l’Asie et du
Proche-Orient.
Les peuples de l’Union, qui prennent aujourd’hui toute la mesure de
l’enjeu européen, veulent désormais avancer les yeux ouverts et les
pieds sur terre. Aussi, si le débat turc leur était confisqué,
gageons qu’ils se le réapproprieraient lors des référendums sur la
ratification du futur traité sur les institutions de l’Union.
Nicolas DUPONT-AIGNAN, Député UMP de l’Essonne ; président de Debout
la République.

Le Télégramme
3 juillet 2004
Musée maritime : Anita Conti « La dame de la mer »
Le Musée maritime propose désormais chaque été une exposition « phare
» consacrée à un personnage marquant du monde maritime.
On se souvient que, dans la période de grce de ses débuts, le
Port-musée de Douarnenez avait déjà organisé une exposition et
diverses animations en hommage à cette femme extraordinaire,
scientifique, écrivain, photographe.
La ville avait été l’une de ses dernières escales.
Ce que nous propose aujourd’hui le Musée maritime d’Audierne, c’est
la présentation d’une quarantaine de ses photographies et de quelques
objets personnels particulièrement évocateurs.
Un marin parmi les autres
Dans des vitrines, sont disposés son appareil photo, un Rollei cord 6
x 6, qui renvoie aux images prises dans des conditions parfois très
difficiles; des gants de ville, qui rappellent que pour Anita Conti,
l’élégance morale allait de pair avec l’élégance physique et aussi
des gants de pêcheur de morue, ceux qu’elle portait pendant ses
campagnes à Terre-Neuve, quand la femme du monde se fondait dans
l’équipage et participait aux tches quotidiennes.
Plusieurs photos en portent témoignage : l’une nous la montre en
suroît parmi les marins pêcheurs du chalutier Bois Rosé, en 1952,
l’autre en train de nettoyer une cheminée du Vikings.
Sa simplicité, ses qualités humaines et sa connaissance de la mer lui
permettaient d’être vite adoptée à bord.
Un destin hors normes
Née en 1899 dans une famille d’origine arménienne, elle voyage
beaucoup pendant son enfance. On la retrouve ensuite à Paris où elle
travaille avec succès dans la reliure d’art; elle épouse un
diplomate. Mais le goût de l’aventure lui fait changer de vie : elle
devient chargée de mission pour l’ancêtre de l’Ifremer, l’Office
scientifique et technique des pêches maritimes. On la retrouve en
1939 dans une campagne morutière; en 1939-1940, elle prend une part
active à des opérations de déminage dans l’Atlantique nord. De 1943 à
1946, elle navigue en Afrique de l’Ouest. Retour au Grand Nord en
1952 sur le morutier Bois-Rosé. En 1958-59, elle travaille au musée
océanographique de Concarneau. En 1975, elle court toujours la mer.
Pendant sa longue carrière, elle aura rencontré Pierre et Marie
Curie, Pierre Mac Orlan, Théodore Monod, le commandant Cousteau,
Blaise Cendrars et bien d’autres. Elle aura ramené de ses voyages
40.000 photos, des films, des notes, des livres (Racleurs d’océan).
L’exposition du Musée maritime rend justice à son talent de
photographe. Des images fortes, dont certaines n’avaient encore
jamais été exposées, précieux témoignages sur la pêche et la vie des
pêcheurs et oeuvres révélatrices d’une sensibilité esthétique
originale.
Ouvert tous les jours, de 10 h à 12 h et de 15 h à 19 h, sauf le
samedi matin.

La Nouvelle République du Centre Ouest
03 juillet 2004
Compétition internationale de vitesse à Payré
La commune de Payré s’apprête à recevoir du 3 au 11 juillet le
championnat d’Europe de modélisme, et plus précisément la discipline
de « racer au pylône ». Sur un plan d’eau, de petits bolides reliés
par un cble de 16 m à un pylône glissent à la surface autour de
celui-ci le plus vite possible. Pour un petit moteur de 1,5 cm3,
compter des vitesses d’environ 100 km/heure. A 5 cm3, les
hydroglisseurs filent déjà à 210 km/heure. Le record de vitesse se
situe aujourd’hui à 283,4 km/heure. Les modèles réduits sont équipés
de moteurs deux temps et utilisent un carburant spécial. Les
appareils se répartissent en deux catégories : ceux à hélice aérienne
et ceux à hélice semi-immergée.
Le « racer au pylône » est apparu en France en 1936. Le pylône du
plan d’eau de Payré a été construit en 1997, en même temps que se
mettait en place le club du Modèle circulaire marin, présidé par
Pierre Barbotin. Un très bon niveau a vite été atteint, avec des
records de vitesse de niveau international : 216 km/h pour les
juniors et 246 pour les seniors. Les modèles sont réalisés par les
compétiteurs eux-mêmes, ce qui nécessite à la fois des compétences
techniques poussées et un savoir-faire spécifique. De ce fait, les
pilotes sont souvent des ingénieurs ou des techniciens.
Une activité formatrice
Parmi les 16 pays qui seront représentés au championnat du monde, on
trouve, en plus de la France, la Bulgarie, la Russie, la
Grande-Bretagne ou l’Italie. L’Arménie sera aussi présente et
particulièrement bien représentée, puisque c’est Hratchia Shahazizian
qui défendra ses couleurs.
Professeur de mécanique de l’université de Yerevan en Arménie et
ingénieur à la cité des étoiles de Moscou, celui-ci est plusieurs
fois champion du monde toutes catégories et détient le record mondial
de vitesse. Une passion qu’il a su transmettre à ses enfants, puisque
son fils est deux fois champion du monde et sa fille trois fois. Même
son petit-fils s’y est mis et est déjà parvenu à la 3e place d’un
championnat du monde.
Hratchia Shahazizian souligne le « climat d’amitié entre les
différents modélistes » et rappelle que les meilleurs concepteurs
d’avions et de bateaux ont débuté par le modélisme, qui permet de
s’initier à moindre coût à l’aérodynamique. Une valeur pédagogique
que ne manque pas de souligner Pierre Barbotin.
– Le championnat d’Europe de modélisme aura lieu du 3 au 11 juillet
aux Iles de Payré. Les épreuves sont prévues lundi 5, mardi 6, jeudi
8 et vendredi 9 de 9 h à 12 h et de 14 h à 20 heures. La remise des
prix aura lieu le samedi 10 au matin. La journée de mercredi sera
consacrée à l’entretien et aux réparations des modèles. L’entrée est
gratuite pour tous.
GRAPHIQUE: Image: Les modèles réduits d’hydroglisseurs de « racer au
pylône ».

Le Télégramme
4 juillet 2004
Interpellé en état d’ivresse près d’une voiture accidentée
Vendredi, à 21 h 35, les policiers sont intervenus au chemin des Eaux
minérales, qui mène à la vallée de Gouédic, après que des riverains
ont signalé un accident au commissariat.
Vendredi, à 21 h 35, les policiers sont intervenus au chemin des Eaux
minérales, qui mène à la vallée de Gouédic, après que des riverains
ont signalé un accident au commissariat.
Lorsqu’ils sont arrivés sur les lieux, ils ont en effet trouvé une
Opel Omega le pare-chocs au sol et le pneu avant gauche crevé.
A proximité du véhicule se trouvait un homme en état d’ivresse et que
des témoins ont aussitôt désigné aux policiers comme étant le
conducteur.
Emmené au commissariat, ce dernier, gé de 37 ans, de nationalité
arménienne, et demeurant à Saint-Brieuc, a été dans l’impossibilité
de souffler dans l’éthylomètre. Il a alors été conduit au centre
hospitalier, où une prise de sang a révélé un taux de 1,95 g d’alcool
par litre de sang. Placé en garde à vue, l’homme a été entendu hier
matin et a nié être le conducteur du véhicule, qui appartient à l’une
de ses connaissances.
Il a été laissé en liberté et sera cité par le parquet du tribunal
pour répondre des infractions retenues à son encontre, dont celle de
conduite en état d’ivresse en récidive.

La Nouvelle République du Centre Ouest
06 juillet 2004
Le 14-Juillet au Soleil Levant
Comme c’est devenu désormais traditionnel, la fête du 14-Juillet se
fêtera au Soleil Levant avec pour organisateurs les Foyers ruraux de
Clavé et Saint-Georges-de-Noisné et le comité des fêtes Saint-Linois
en partenariat avec les trois communes qui apportent une aide
financière et s’occupent du feu d’artifice. Cette année, la fête aura
lieu le mercredi 14 juillet à partir de 15 h 30 avec diverses
animations (avec trois lots en récompense), la présence du Réveil
musical folklorique d’Arménie se produira pour le plaisir de tous.
Dès 20 heures, un repas champêtre sera servi, suivi du feu d’artifice
et un bal populaire clôturera la soirée. Les réservations pour le
repas, confection par l’auberge de Noisné, se font dans les trois
mairies au plus tard le 6 juillet au prix de 8 EUR pour les adultes
et de 3,50 EUR pour les enfants.