ARMENIA’S MINISTER OF DIASPORA MEETS PUBLIC OFFICIALS AND REPRESENTATIVES OF ARMENIAN COMMUNITY IN FRANCE
NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY
APRIL 7, 2009
PARIS
The delegation headed by the Armenia’s minister of Diaspora Hranush
Hakobian has made an official visit to France since April 2. The
ministry’s delegation is accompanied by Hamlet Gasparian, Charge
d’Affaires ad interim of the Republic of Armenia in France and Vahe
Vahramian, head of the consular department of the Armenia’s Embassy
in France. On the first day the minister led by spiritual and worldly
leaders of the Armenian community of France visited the St. John the
Baptist Armenian Church, the Komitas Monument and laid a wreath at, as
well as met to the leaders of the Armenian community. In the fringes of
the visit, H.Hakobian had meeting with Francois Rochblois, head of the
National Assembly Armenia-France Friendship Group, Mr.Lagache, head of
the same group of Senate, and with representatives of French-Armenian
professional unions.
During the meeting with Mr.Lagache the law of Armenian Genocide
adopted by the NA of France was discussed. The draft law is
currently in the Senate’s bureau which have the majority of
opponents to that law. The minister expressed confidence, that
Armenians scattered around the world and particularly living in
France will be impelling local authorities to solve this issue in
Senate. The minister H.Hakobian, stressed the roles of parliamentary
friends hip groups in strengthening Armenia-France relationship. The
minister also had meetings at UCFAF, at the news-room of "Yaraj"
("Forward") weekly. UMAF, G2iA, the Union of French Armenian
attorneys and lawyers, The union of French Armenian Architects,
"Navasard", "Eraz" and "Sipan-Komitas" dance and musical groups,
"Bohemia" theatre participated in the meeting with representatives of
French Armenian professional unions at the "Tsants" (Network) club:
According to the Information and public relation department of the
ministry of Diaspora, in the town of Arnovelle, 7000 inhabitants out
of 43000 are Armenians and the 5 Armenians are elected to the local
municipality, the minister Hakobian met the municipality head and
the representatives of local Armenian organizations. The minister
Hranush Hakobian led by the administration of the town of Rennes laid
a wreath to the memorial of the Armenian Genocide. Hakobian had also
meetings with representatives of educational institutions of Armenian
community. She visited school named after Hrant Dink and "Dpraser",
"Surb Mesrop" school, which is the largest school in Arnovelle and has
230 pupils , as well as "Armenian Translators’ school". During meetings
teachers told, that according to statistics today only one out of 60
French Armenian schoolchildren attend Armenian school. The issue of
strengthening the Armenia-Diaspora relationship was discussed during
the meeting with ARF "Dashnaktsutyun", Youth organizations, the Alex
Manoogian cultural center. On April 4 the minister leaved for Marcel.