The Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has said it possesses no information on whether there were Armenian citizens or ethnic Armenians among those killed or injured in Paris attacks.
The series of attacks which claimed the lives of at least 127 on Friday became the worst terrorist incident in French history.
Armenian President and Foreign Minister earlier issued statements, offering condolences to the friendly people of France.
Photo by AFP
Syrian President Bashar al Assad condemned Friday’s attacks in Paris and said that such acts of terror were similar to what his people had faced in years of violent civil war, Reuters reports.
“What France suffered from savage terror is what the Syrian people have been enduring for over five years,” the Syrian President was quoted as saying on state media and Lebanese TV station al Mayadeen.
The near-simultaneous attacks in Paris that killed at least 127 people and wounded more than 180 were an “act of war” carried out by Islamic State, says France’s President Francois Hollande, the BBC reports.
He said the attacks, carried out by eight gunmen and suicide bombers, were “organised and planned from outside”.
Busy bars and restaurants, a music concert and a high-profile football match were all targeted.
Mr Hollande has declared three days of national mourning.
An event was held today at the Mount Musa Memorial in Armavir Marz on the occasion of the 100th Anniversary of the Mount Musa Heroic Battle. During the event, President Serzh Sargsyan delivered a speech in which he touched upon the Paris attacks.
“Your Holiness,
Your Eminencies,
Honorable guests,
Dear compatriots,
Today we are here to celebrate the 100th jubilee of the Mount Musa self-defense. It was one of the heroic episodes of the 1915 Armenian Genocide to which our French brothers made an invaluable contribution. Hundred years has passed but our sense of gratitude has not weakened even a bit.
Dear compatriots,
Unfortunately, by the irony of fate we witnessed last night terrorist attacks, unprecedented terrorist acts by their scale, committed at the heart of France – Paris. All of us are deeply shocked by it.
I strongly condemn those terrific and ghastly actions which claimed multiple innocent lives.
In recent years, the growth of this kind of inhuman violence in different countries of the world gives rise to serious concerns. I am confident that each member of the civilized community will join the struggle against this evil facing of us. We must not allow violence, extremism and intolerance to prevail. We are obliged to make concerted efforts at revealing and eradicating all those factors which cause such horrible manifestations of extremism.
In this difficult time, Armenia stands beside the brotherly country of France and is ready to provide full support.
I express my deepest sympathy to French President Francois Hollande, the friendly people of France and to the victims’ relatives, wishing patience, strength and vigor to them and a speedy recovery to the injured.
Our prayers, hearts and souls are with the French people.”
President Serzh Sargsyan joined hundreds of Armenians today to pay homage to the victims of the terrorist acts in Paris.
The President visited the France Square in capital Yerevan to lay flowers in memory of more than one hundred people killed in the attacks.
Hundreds of candles were lit to commemorate the victims of the worst attacks in the history of France.
By Ara Khachatourian
Last month, comedian Conan O’Brien announced that he would be taking his late-night talk show on the road to Armenia. After a five-day trip, the episode will air on Tuesday, November 17 on Conan, which airs on TBS.
Ahead of Tuesday’s show, in a phone interview Friday, O’Brien discussed his experience in Armenia and producing the episode saying: “I’ve been making television for 22 year and this episode is one thing I am most proud of.”
He explained that the genesis of the show dates back six years when he moved to Los Angeles and hired Sona Movsesian as his assistance. She said she grew up in Montebello, where she attended the Armenian Mesrobian School, learning the language, culture and history of Armenians. She had never traveled to Armenia and said that she was able to experience what she had grown up hearing about from her family, school and community.
“It was amazing,” said Movsesian. “I felt a stong sense of appreciation and the people remind me of my uncles and aunts.”
“She [Movsesian] has been a big part of the show—and my life. She’s a very funny and colorful person,” explained O’Brien who said that over the years Movsesian had spoken about Armenia and being Armenian, so after the success of an episode from Cuba, which aired earlier this year, he decided to travel to Armenia to do his show from there.
In preparation for his trip to Armenia, O’Brien visited Sona’s family in their Los Angeles home.
“I wanted to talk to them and say that Sona misbehaves and watches too much American television… I am concerned about her and want to take to Armenia,” said O’Brien, adding that her parents had a long list of things that they wanted him to bring back, such as dried apricots, cognac, paintings and rugs.
Sona’s grandmother, who O’Brien said spoke very little English, told him, ”Bring back a man—I want her to marry an Armenian.”
Describing the trip as an “adventure,” O’Brien said that he took an Armenian language class with Anahit Keshishian, who taught him some words and phrases that he could use while in Armenia. He said people thought that it was funny when he spoke Armenian. He was surprised and impressed that young people in Armenia spoke English very well and recognized him, because they watched his show on YouTube.
He called Tuesday’s episode a “travelogue and a little bit of a scavenger hunt,” describing his experiences in the Armenian countryside of mingling with shepherds and trying his hand in herding sheep. He also learned how to weave a rug.
“I got her [Sona’s] parents a rug,” he said, adding that “you have to watch” to see whether he brought a man back for Sona.
The Dizidzernagepert Genocide Memorial Monument, O’Brien said “was the most powerful part of the show,” saying it was very moving to walk up toward the memorial.
“I haven’t quite done television like that. I thought it was very real. I am proud of the whole show,” said O’Brien. “It’s a very human story.”
Seeing Mount Ararat was another emotional experience that O’Brien and his team experienced. “It was like a painting,” he said recounting how the deeper they drove into the countryside the more powerful the image of the mountain was.
He thought Yerevan was a big city with buildings that clearly reflected the Soviet era, with the traditional churches and modern constructions adding to “the different textures” of the city.
While in Yerevan, O’Brien was a guest on a local comedy show and also made a cameo appearance on a locally-produced soap opera, playing a gangster with one line of dialogue: “Herika—enough.”
He also learned traditional Armenian dances. “There were these very beautiful professional Armenian dancers who were laughing at me,” said O’Brien, who learned the dances at the foot of the Garni Temple, where afterward the dancers performed.
“Trust me. No one makes a worse Armenian man than I do. It was really fun to do that,” he said adding that the episode has already aired in Armenia.
He said he would “definitely go back and hang out” in Armenia again because the five days he had there were not enough. “I was very impressed with how people were in Armenia,” he said, discussing his encounters with young people, including some Armenians who had settled there from Syria who knew of him and his show, because they followed him on YouTube. “The Armenian people were great. Very friendly.”
O’Brien said he wanted Armenians and non-Armenians to watch the episode to experience the “humor sweetness and solemn moments” that he had in Armenia.
The Armenia episode of Conan airs on Tuesday on TBS.
His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians; sent a letter of condolence to French President Francois Hollande, on the occasion of the terrorist attacks in Paris, which left numerous casualties and injured.
“Today, when our nation commemorates the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, we remember with gratitude that our sons and daughters were rescued by the French navy during the defense of Musaler; and along with our indebtedness, offer the sincere sympathy and condolences of our nation to the families and relatives of the French nation.
We strongly condemn the terrorist actions against innocent French civilians. Terrorism knows no nationality and is aimed at all of humanity, at the world’s well-being, and at the safe and creative coexistence of people and nations. We believe that your leadership will guide France to prevail over this situation, and that the people of France will overcome the pain of loss and continue to fight resolutely against terrorism inflicted upon humanity, to prevent future atrocities and crimes”, said His Holiness in condolence.
His Holiness asked that the Heavenly Lord grant peace to the souls of the dead and comfort their relatives, and give a speedy recovery to the victims of the terrorist attacks.
President Serzh Sargsyan has sent a telegram of condolences to his French counterpart Francois Hollande over the terrorist attacks in Paris last night.
“Honorary Mr. President,
I’m deeply shocked by the news of this unprecedented act of terrorism in Paris.
I strongly condemn these nasty actions, which claimed the lives of a dozens of innocent people.
The growth of such inhumane acts of violence in different countries of the world is worrisome.
I’m confident that every member of the civilized international community will join the struggle against this evil.
We cannot allow violence, extremism and intolerance to dominate. We have to join efforts to reveal and eradicate all factors that cause such horrifying expressions of radicalism.
At this hard moment, Armenia stands by France and is ready to provide every support.
Mr. President, I offer my deep condolences to you, the friendly people of France and the relatives of the victims and wish a speedy recovery to the injured.
Our prayers, hearts and souls are with the people of France.”
A train has derailed near the French city of Strasbourg, killing five and injuring seven, the Daily Mail repots.
Photographs of the wreckage show its carriages half submerged in the water outside Eckwersheim, Strasbourg.
Rescue workers were seen approaching the mangled train on rubber dinghies and tending to the wounded by the side of the canal.
It is not known what caused the test TGV to come off the tracks or whether the death toll is expected to rise.
Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian has issued a statement on the terrorist attacks in France.
“Armenia stands by France. We strongly condemn the barbaric terrorist attacks in Paris. We express our condolences and support to the friendly people of France. The fight against terror is the fight of the whole civilized world.”