ArmenPress
Jan 20 2005

FRENCH ARMENIAN WOMAN ENDS HUNGER STRIKE

MARSEILLE, JANUARY 20, ARMENPRESS: A French Armenian woman in
Marseille who went on hunger strike on January 6 in the premises of
an Armenian church to request a meeting with president Jacques Chirac
whom she wants to put forth Turkey’s recognition of the 1915 Armenian
genocide as precondition for joining the EU, said she ended the
strike after persistent requests of her relatives who feared for her
life.
The 50-year Koular Gharibian, a writer, had said she was outraged
by debates in France over Turkey’s possible membership with the
European Union. “Germany is part of the EU, but it had acknowledged
the Holocaust and apologized to Jews ,” she was quoted by Nouvelles
d’Armenie magazine as saying.
She first requested a meeting with Chirac in 2004 October
announcing her decision to go on hunger strike if he refused to
accept her.
She sent a second letter to Chirac before going on hunger strike
saying she would end it after Chirac agrees to meet her and gives
assurances that Turkey would be allowed to join the EU after
recognizing the 1915 genocides and apologizing to Armenians.
Ending the hunger strike she called on French foreign minister
urging him to push the government for asking Turkey to acknowledge
the genocide.