Spanish Opera Star Caballe Receives Armenia Honor

Spanish Opera Star Caballe Receives Armenia Honor

Montserrat Caballe

© AFP 2013/ Sebastian Willnow / DDP

17:00 09/06/2013

Tags: Bako Sahakyan, Serzh Sargsyan, Montserrat Caballe, Spain,
Azerbaijan, Armenia, Yerevan

YEREVAN, June 9 (RIA Novosti) – Spanish opera singer Montserrat
Caballe who was declared persona non grata in Azerbaijan this week has
received Armenia’s highest honor from the president, the Armenian
leader’s spokesman said on Sunday.

President Serzh Sargsyan gave Caballe the order of honor for
`defending Armenia’s state and national interests, for special
achievements in establishing independence, democracy as well as for
strengthening and developing friendship with the Republic of Armenia
and for a significant contribution to peace building between nations,’
a spokesman said.

`Armenia is an island of peace and love. You have a wonderful country
and people with strong spirits. I will have unforgettable impressions
when I leave Armenia and I am sure that my visit will be continued,’
the singer said as she received the honor.

Baku declared Caballe persona non grata on Thursday, the next day
after she visited Azerbaijan’s separatist region of Nagorno-Karabakh
and met with the self-proclaimed republic’s head, Bako Sahakyan.

Azerbaijan said the trip was `illegal and harmed peaceful resolution
of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.’ Baku sent a special note to Spain’s
Foreign Ministry demanding explanations.

Relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia have been strained for more
than two decades, since the conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, a
predominantly ethnic Armenian region, first erupted in 1988. The
region then claimed independence from Azerbaijan to join Armenia.

Over 30,000 people are estimated to have died on both sides between
1988 and 1994, when a ceasefire was agreed. Nagorno-Karabakh has
remained in Armenian control and tensions between Azerbaijan and
Armenia have persisted.