Armenian President arrives in Beirut to calm Diaspora
15:04, October 07, 2009

Armenian President Serge Sarkisian arrived here on Tuesday in a bid to
ease Armenian Diaspora’s increasing fear and tension of rapprochement
with Turkey, Lebanon’s state news agency reported.

Sarkisian’s stop in Beirut is part of a week-long international trip
aimed at hearing concerns among Armenian Diaspora in Lebanon over
Turkish-Armenian efforts to normalize relations. Sarkisian will meet
with various Armenian parties and political figures in the Gulf,
Lebanon and Syria.

The two countries are due to sign historic accords on Saturday, ending
a century of hostility.

However, upon his arrival, the Rafik Hariri International Airport
witnessed a rally staged by different Armenian parties in objection of
some of the rapprochement, which angered many in Lebanon’s
140,000-strong Armenian community.

Armenians said up to 1.5 million of their kin were systematically
killed between 1915 and 1917 as the Ottoman Empire was falling.

Turkey rejected the genocide label and argued that 300,000-500,000
Armenians and at least as many Turks died in civil strife when
Armenians took up arms against their Ottoman rulers and sided with
invading Russian troops in the World War I.

Source: Xinhua 7339.html

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress