TURKISH-BORN ARMENIAN RETURNS MEDAL FOLLOWING GENOCIDE BILL
By Anadolu News Agency (aa), Tel Aviv
Zaman, Turkey
Nov 7 2006
Israeli citizen Yuda Yagbes reacted to the French parliament’s passing
of a bill that would make it a crime to deny an Armenian genocide
by sending back his 1965 certificate and medal of "Merite Civique,"
which France awards to those who represent the country best.
Yagbes, 94, was born in Turkey and immigrated to Israel in 1980. He
returned his certificate and medal via a letter sent to the French
embassy in Tel Aviv.
Condemning France’s attitude, Yagbes commented that he never understood
why the country showed so much concern for the issue. He said he felt
very comfortable with his gesture, and added that if any problems
occur it is strictly between Turks and Armenians.
As to why he returned his medal, he replied he was born in 1912 in
Izmir where he served in the army; and when a fellow Turkish recipient
decided to return his medal, he was inspired to do the same thing.
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From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress