ANDRANIK SQUARE IN MEUDON
Azg/arm
25 Nov 04
The French town of Meudon in the south-west of Paris became the first
foreign city to have a square bearing the name of the national hero
of Armenia Andranik Ozanian, known simply as commander Andranik. Among
the people witnessing the historical event were the Armenian ambassador
to France Edward Nalbandian, French generals Ferlius and Berrange.
Mayor of Meudon, Hervé Marseille, who was conducting the ceremony,
presented the life of Andranik, told about his fight against the
Ottoman Turks in Western Armenia and then in Bulgaria, about his
battle in Van in 1915 and his battles to stop Turksâ~@~Y invasion
in Eastern Armenia in 1918-19. In 1919 Andranik disbanded his army
and left Armenia with a group of loyal solders not to be involved in
political infighting. In 1922 he settled in Fresno (USA) where he died
in 1927. Some months later his remnants were conveyed to Per-Lashez
cemetery in Paris and then to Yerablur cemetery in Yerevan in 2000.
Ambassador Nalbandian expressed his gratitude to Mr. Marseille noting
that “the square is another evidence of the century-long friendship
between Armenian and French nations”.
State anthems of Armenia and France accompanied the ceremony.
By Petros Keshishian
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From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress