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[Jade]

Where current news can be discussed

[Jade]

So here's the new thread that I've been wanting to start! I don't have much time to add anything right now, but I believe that a lot of interesting things have been going on in the world right now that should be discussed...I'll get the ball rolling by the first thing that comes to my mind; Sarkozy...I don't know if any of the members watched the French elections closely but here they were a big issue (although I don't live in France)...And now I hear that a lot of French are rioting...What are your opinions about this? What does the election of Sarkozy hold for the future of France and as a prominent member of the EU, the future of Europe?

[Joseph]

France’s new face
Nicolas Sarkozy is going to establish Mediterranean Alliance with North African countries. Turkey is not included in this Alliance.
09.05.2007 GMT+04:00
For the first time in the history of France the President of the country is someone who is French only for one fourth. Nicolas Sarkozy’s victory has already evoked contradictory comments both among politicians and the world press. In his speech immediately after the results of the election were announced Sarkozy said, “I will do everything for France to go back to Europe, but this must be the Europe protecting its citizens, and not a “Grecian horse” of globalization, which may be a serious threat for the social attainments existing in different European countries.”
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ His first official visit President Sarkozy is planning to make to Germany, and whatever is spoken about the “new policy”, Jacques Chirac’s legacy in the home policy of France will still exist for a long while. The truth is that Sarkozy will be more moderate towards Russia than his predecessor was. The “friendship age” is becoming a thing of the past, and even President Putin didn’t mean to Chirac what the late Boris Eltsin did. We may say that Sarkozy is the New France establishing its relations with the rest of the world on completely different and more pragmatic bases. The part of his speech where the President spoke about the country’s relations with the USA was the most unusual one. “America may count on our friendship, and France will always be near. However, friendship also means a possibility of thinking otherwise, and France will always defend its positions in case of any kind of divergences,” he said in his speech. By the way Sarkozy was the only one among the French politicians who has recently met President Bush.

Yet Sarkozy kept the most interesting thing for later. The newly elected President of France is going to establish Mediterranean Alliance together with North African countries. Turkey is not included in this Alliance. If Sarkozy’s pre-election statements against Turkey’s integration into EU do not undergo any changes, Turkey will have to forget about Europe for the next 7 years. However Turkey’s Prime-Minister Recep Erdoghan hopes that “the French President will switch from the pre-election rhetoric to normalization of the relations between their countries, which has lately been far from being warm,” Turkish Daily News writes. Turkey strongly hopes that Sarkozy will set a veto on the bill about criminalization of the denial of the Armenian Genocide, and, judging by what was stated in the Turkish-Azeri press, will refuse “hearing the Armenian Community in France”. For some reason Baku hopes that the newly elected President will treat Azerbaijan better than his predecessor.

It is clear that our neighbor would love to see Armenia and France in unhealthy relations with each other. However, it should not be forget that France was one of the first countries who spoke against the Armenian Genocide of 1915 and sheltered a big number of refugees. As for Azerbaijan’s hope that the new President will bring some negative changes in the relations of Armenia and France, it should be mentioned that the Armenians have done so much for France that the Armenian-French relations do not depend on the Presidents any more.

But unfortunately the elections didn’t put an end to some disorder in the country. Ségolène Royal announced on Radio RTL, that if Sarkozy wins the elections, the whole country and first of all the poor suburban areas will suffer a strong wave of violence. Such a provoking announcement was a shock for many French, particularly when this provocation was heard and had its say in the further developments of the events.

After the results of the election were announced cases of a number of clashes were registered between the young and hot-blooded supporters of Royal with the police and with the followers of Sarkozy. Over 400 cars were burned, shop-windows of many magazines were broken. The police had to implement tear-gas to gain control over the crowd, just what it had to do last year when the cities of Paris were in disorder. By the way, that time the situation was taken under control by the help of the very Sarkozy, so he is very unlikely to stand such a situation again. However, with some unknown reasons, implementing force during demonstrations in France and in a number of European countries is not something unusual, while in other countries it is regarded as a violation of human rights…
«PanARMENIAN.Net» analytical department

[Jade]

Sarkozy seems very interesting - I might get a chance to meet him during the future, he is a very close friend of a close friend of my parents...They had lunch yesterday

[elendil]

Sarkozy or Royal not much of a issue in the interests of Turkey. France, as a country and its people, surely stand against admission of Turkey into EU. Don't misunderstand if I were French, I would also stand against it.

But within the scope of France, I believe the guy, with his balanced and sensible standing on several issues, is an opportunity for France itself.

[Jade]

Sarkozy or Royal not much of a issue in the interests of Turkey. France, as a country and its people, surely stand against admission of Turkey into EU. Don't misunderstand if I were French, I would also stand against it.

But within the scope of France, I believe the guy, with his balanced and sensible standing on several issues, is an opportunity for France itself.

We will see the stuff he's made of in the coming months...From what I've read of him, Sarkozy had had a very tough childhood (this is confirmed by his mother, she was a single parent who raised all her three sons alone)...I also read that the absence of a father was as Sarkozy puts it "what defined him"...from his speeches etc, I make out the impression that he is a very tough man who has big plans for France, and seems to be intent on speaking his mind...I will make no comments on Turkey

[Jade]

Just finished watching the Eurovision about an hour ago; interesting outcome wouldn't anyone agree?
ps: Turkey gave 12 points to Armenia On a pessimistic note, the majority of these twelve pts. were probably from the Armenians living in Turkey but still

[Steph]

Just finished watching the Eurovision about an hour ago; interesting outcome wouldn't anyone agree?
ps: Turkey gave 12 points to Armenia On a pessimistic note, the majority of these twelve pts. were probably from the Armenians living in Turkey but still

Jade, I'm surprised your heads not fried watching that, yeah, I watched it too under instructions from wife and daughter!
Each year regions vote en bloc for their neighbours : Scandinavia, the Balkans and so on........just a laugh really.

Did you enjoy Hayko's song?

[Jade]

Jade, I'm surprised your heads not fried watching that, yeah, I watched it too under instructions from wife and daughter!
Each year regions vote en bloc for their neighbours : Scandinavia, the Balkans and so on........just a laugh really.

Did you enjoy Hayko's song?

Its true! The quality of the music was really baffling I especially enjoyed France's song...the outfits truly were amazing:P especially loved the fake cat/ferret(?) perched on the shoulder of one of the singers...It made me laugh so much! Hayko's song was one of the nicer ones, definitely, but the prop was a bit too red for my liking I still don't understand how Serbia won...Apparently it was because of the homosexual support (atleast that's what I read on the internet) I don't have anything against the country, but I liked some of the other songs better...It is sad that most people can't stay objective where their countries, or their friendly neighbours are involved...Such a pity. But we laughed a lot, me and my friends Can't wait for the next year's:P
Ps: we watched it on BBC and the commentator would occasionally comment with the usual British sarcasm on the outfits or the quality of the songs etc, which made it all the more enjoyable!)

[bell-the-cat]

But we laughed a lot, me and my friends Can't wait for the next year's:P
Ps: we watched it on BBC and the commentator would occasionally comment with the usual British sarcasm on the outfits or the quality of the songs etc, which made it all the more enjoyable!)

The only reason to watch it is for a laugh! Eurotrash at its worst.

Am I right in thinking that in Turkey the competition is considered to be just a big joke? BTW, that's not the first time I have heard Turks' say they prefer watching the BBC version.

I only saw the last 5 minutes, starting when someone in a Santaclaus outfit ( why - its May!??) was molesting (as the BBC put it) someone who looked like a little boy - then the "little boy" turned out to be the female lead singer of the winning entry.