Alexis Govciyan: council should be established to cement Diaspora-Armenia ties

PanARMENIAN.Net - For normalization of Diaspora-Armenia ties non-governmental council is to be established, which will coordinate collaboration between Diaspora and Armenia, according to chairman of Coordination Council of Armenian Organizations of France (CCAF).

“Not all issues can be subject to governmental structures, public initiatives are also required,” Alexis Govciyan told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter.

Govciyan also touched upon the recent scandal regarding Armenia’s ambassador to Switzerland Charles Aznavour’s statements, which were distorted by Turkish and Azerbaijani media.

“Aznavour’s each word carries too much weight and he is too influential for Turkish politicians to be able to soil his reputation through such manipulations,” he emphasized.

According to Turkish media reports, Armenian ambassador to Switzerland, world-known singer Charles Aznavour has allegedly said during a television program that “the word Genocide disturbs [me].” “A different word should be found to reopen the Armenian-Turkish border and to [facilitate] dialogue with Turks,” the singer allegedly said during a TV program titled “Vivement Dimanche” and aired on France 2, also expressing a wish to visit Turkey.

However, the shorthand record of the conversation with a French TV journalist makes the singer’s intention clear.