AZNAVOUR CALLS ON TURKISH YOUTH TO FORM PERSONAL IDEA CONCERNING
ISSUES OF ARMENIAN-TURKISH RELATIONS

ISTAMBUL, JUNE 8, NOYAN TAPAN. Young people in Turkey should be left
free in order that they interprete issues concerning the
Armenian-Turkish relations themselves. French Armenian world famous
singer Charles Aznavour stated this in an interview given to the
Turkish “Radical” newspaper which was published in the June 7 issue,
on the occasion of Aznavour’s autobiographical book’s being published
in Turkish (“Aras” publishing house). When the newspaper correspondent
reminded that Aznavour has a wonderful poem “Letter to My Turkish
Friend,” the world famous singer mentioned that he really had a dear
Turkish friend, and the letter was addressed to that friend but, in
reality, it is addressed to the whole Turkish poeple. “When the
Genocide happened Turks fostered Armenian orphans. If 50 thousand
orphans were fostered from a half and a million of Armenians it is not
a small number. It means that irrespective of you or us, there is an
Armenian reality in Turkey. Every time, when Turk young people visit
me I tell them. “Today, listen neither to what Turks say nor to what
Armenians say. Use your mind, form your personal idea. Why were I and
my Turk friend so close with one another. He took my mother to all
those places where she spent her youth. He used to call my mother
“mamy.” Why? Because he has studied and was aware. I propose Turk
youth to study, research. As the burder on the shoulders is very
heavy. We do not have a burder on our shoulders but you do have. The
burder should be picked up in order young people to be free,”
Aznavour, particularly, said. The world famous singer mentioned that
50 years ago he visited Turkey twice and had a concert. He would like
to visit Turkey again, but with a condition, that he will be
officially invited by the Turkish state. He got concert invitations
many times but wants to get a state invitation. The Istambul “Marmara”
daily reminds that assaults against Aznavour first happened in Turkey
when he wrote the song “They Fell” dedicated to the 1915 Armenian
Genocide. And at present. his role in Atom Egoyan’s “Ararat” film
became a reason that he is called “Turk’s enemy.”