|
Armenian diaspora flows into Istanbul today for Hrant Dink's funeral
With ethnically Armenian journalist Hrant Dink being laid to rest today in Istanbul after his murder on an Istanbul street on Friday afternoon, a full plane load of Armenian citizens from Yerevan is expected to arrive today in Turkey to attend funeral services.
In addition, though Armenian President Robert Kocharian is not himself attending, he will be sending his top level consultant, Samson Ozarat, who emigrated from Turkey to Armenia some years ago, to attend the funeral. Also in attendance will be Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister Arman Kirakosian, as well as the General Secretary of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Foundation, Karen Mirzoyan. From France, which has a strong Armenian community of its own, the head of the French Armenian Foundation, Alexi Govcian, will arrive in Turkey with a delegation, as will Armenian religious leaders from both Bulgaria and Romania.
Patriarch Karekin II represented by Barsamian
Arriving at Istanbul's Ataturk Airport yesterday was Armenian Patriarch Hajak Barsamian, the Orthodox leader of Armenians living on the East Coast of the US, and who arrived in Turkey as the official representative of Patriarch Karekin II, the world leader of the Armenian community.
|
