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France marks anniversary of Armenian genocide
[FBIS Translated Excerpt] France marks anniversary of Armenian genocide
Excerpt from report by French news agency AFP
Paris, 24 April: The French authorities "share the emotions of - and
join the tribute paid by - our compatriots of Armenian origin who are
united in recalling a tragic past," the Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday
[24 April].
"On this anniversary, the French authorities share the emotions of -
and join the tribute paid by - our compatriots of Armenian origin who are
united in recalling a tragic past, about which parliament, for its part,
has passed a law," Foreign Ministry deputy spokesman Bernard Valero said.
This "Message from the French authorities to the Armenian community"
was released on the day of the 86th anniversary of the genocide of the
Armenians by the Ottoman empire, from 1915 to 1917.
"France is proud that at that time it welcomed tens of thousands of
refugees who later settled on our soil," Valero added.
"The richness and diversity of our culture, as well as its influence
in the world, owes a great deal to their descendants within our national
community," he said.
"The French authorities pay tribute with them, remembering events with
sadness," Valero said.
Parliament officially recognized the Armenian massacre on 18 January
after a unanimous vote on a draft law on the issue in the National
Assembly. The law was promulgated by President Jacques Chirac on 30
January...
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