Obama set to visit Hiroshima 71 years after nuclear attackApril 22, 2016 - 12:23 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - President Barack Obama is set to visit Hiroshima after a Group of Seven summit next month, the Nikkei newspaper said, in what would be the first visit by an incumbent U.S. president to the Japanese city devastated by a U.S. nuclear attack 71 years ago, Reuters reports. Citing an unidentified senior U.S. government official, the business daily on Friday said Washington planned to propose to Tokyo a visit by the president on May 27, when the summit wraps up. Officials at Japan's foreign ministry and cabinet office could not immediately be reached for comment. A presidential visit would be controversial in the United States if it were seen as an apology. A majority of Americans view the bombing of Hiroshima on Aug. 6, 1945, and of the city of Nagasaki three days later, as justified to end the war and save U.S lives. The vast majority of Japanese think the bombings were unjustified. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said during a visit to the city this month that Obama wanted to travel there, though he did not know if the president's schedule when he visited Japan for the May 26-27 summit would allow him to. Hiroshima bombing survivors, and other residents, have said they hope for progress in ridding the world of nuclear weapons, rather than an apology, if Obama makes the historic visit. Hopes for Obama's visit to Hiroshima were raised after a speech in April 2009 in Prague when he called for a world without nuclear weapons. He later said he would be honored to visit the two cities that suffered nuclear attack. Kerry, who toured the Hiroshima Peace Memorial and Museum, called its haunting displays "gut-wrenching" and said everyone should visit. The displays include photographs of badly burned victims, the tattered and stained clothes they wore and statues depicting them with flesh melting from their limbs. Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". Partner news | Lemkin Institute petition seeks release of Armenians in Azerbaijan The Lemkin Institute is deeply concerned about the continued illegal detention of political prisoners from Karabakh in Azerbaijan. Armenian Catholicos calls for national unity against threats Karekin II issued a message on Republic Day marking the anniversary of the First Armenian Republic. Pashinyan: Armenia’s desired goal is “on the horizon” Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has said that Armenia is moving forward “without interruption”. Opposition leader, supporters spend night at Sardarapat memorial Police made nearly 300 arrests the day before as Galstanyan and his supporters continued to demonstrate in Yerevan. |