GENEVA TO LAUNCH GENOCIDE MUSEUM DESPITE TURKEY’S DISCONTENT

12:45 ~U 01.11.13

The municipal authorities of the Swiss capital, Geneva, are very
resolute on their plan for building a genocide monument, Time Turks
reports, despite earlier strong efforts by the Turkish lobby.

A decision to unveil the monument, named Lanterns of Memory, was made
back in 2011. The author of the idea is the French-Armenian artist
Melik Ohanoan.

French-Armenian singer and song writer Charles Aznavour, who is
Armenia’s ambassador Switzerland, has said in an interview with the
local media that the monument’s building should not be considered an
attempt to “condemn a country”.

Aznavour made it clear that the monument will symbolize all the
nations which have survived genocide.

Sami Kanaan, a Geneva municipality official in charge of the project,
has said at a press conference that the word genocide will not be
engraved on the monument.

But the Turkish publication says that the fact will remain a major
trouble for the country even after this statement.

Turkey reportedly keeps complaining about the fact in the light of
the current its strategic relations with the Swiss Confederation.

A spokesperson for the Swiss Department for Foreign Affairs has told
Cihan News Agency that they are not vested with the authority of
halting the monument’s construction.

“We know what a sensitive issue it is for Turkey. Keeping in touch with
the two sides, we are now working towards the normalization of ties
between Turkey and Armenia,” the ministry source was quoted as saying.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress