ArmInfo’s Survey: Belarus And France Will Be Represented At Highest

ARMINFO’S SURVEY: BELARUS AND FRANCE WILL BE REPRESENTED AT HIGHEST LEVEL AT EVENTS TIMED TO ARMENIAN GENOCIDE CENTENNIAL

by Tatevik Shahunyan and Marianna Lazarian

Wednesday, March 4, 14:07

Most of the countries invited to the Armenian Genocide Centennial
events in Yerevan have not yet responded to the invitation for not
having made up their delegations to Yerevan.

Talking to ArmInfo, Ambassadors of Switzerland, Georgia, Iran,
Ukraine, Romania, Bulgaria, Japan, and Germany said Yerevan’s
invitation is still considered by the foreign ministries of their
countries to determine the composition of delegations. Nevertheless,
all the diplomats assured ArmInfo that their countries will send
official representatives to the events timed to the Armenian Genocide
Centennial.

Head of the EU Delegation to Armenia Traian Hristea told ArmInfo,
the EU has not made up its delegation to the Genocide Centennial
events in Yerevan. Meanwhile, Head of the OSCE Office in Yerevan
Andrey Sorokin said the delegation to Yerevan will be headed by Ilkka
Kanerva, President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly. The decision
may be changed and the OSCE may be represented at the above events
at a higher level.

Belarus has already made up its delegation. Talking to ArmInfo,
Ambassador Stepan Sukhorenko said the president of Belarus will
attend the events timed to the Armenian Genocide Centennial. France
will also be represented at the highest level.

Russian Ambassador to Armenia Ivan Volynkin said Moscow has already
made up its delegation. The diplomat did not reveal the composition
of the Russian delegation, saying the country will be represented at
an adequate level.

The survey revealed that some countries will not send any delegations
to Turkey – the country is going to celebrate the centennial of the
victory in the Gallipoli Battle on the same day – April 24. Others
will send their delegations for political reasons. The diplomats say
the centennials of the Armenian Genocide and the Gallipoli Battle
are morally incomparable events.

To recall, UK, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan have already accepted
Turkey’s invitation to the Gallipoli event and will be represented at
the highest level. Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Charles will attend
the event.

http://www.arminfo.am/index.cfm?objectid=AD685DD0-C25E-11E4-A9290EB7C0D21663