No Australian representative to attend Genocide centenary eventsMarch 30, 2015 - 19:07 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - The Australian government says it won’t be officially represented in Armenia next month as the country marks the 100th anniversary the Armenian Genocide in the Ottoman Turkey. Events in Yerevan will coincide with the centenary of Anzac landing in Gallipoli, to which Prime Minister Tony Abbott is expected to lead a high level delegation, Public Radio of Armenia reports citing SBS. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has told SBS the Australian government will not be sending a representative to Yerevan next month for the centenary commemorations of the Armenian Genocide. The Department won’t confirm whether Australia was invited to attend official events in Yerevan. When asked about the reason for the decision, and whether an official invitation was received, the Department declined to comment further. Vache Kahramanian, from the Armenian National Committee, said it was “Ankara’s ongoing gag order on Australia on the issue of the Armenian Genocide.” “We’ve heard from many members of Parliament throughout the country that Turkey continues to use Gallipoli and the centenary of Anzac Day as a bargaining chip to ensure that Australia does not formally recognize the Armenian Genocide,” he said. Top stories Six total incidents have burned 19 old-growth trees. Friday night 8 trees were torched along the beautiful main entrance. The EU does not intend to conduct military exercises with Armenia, Lead Spokesperson for EU Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Peter Stano says. Hikmet Hajiyev has said that there is no place for USAID operation in Azerbaijan any longer. A telephone conversation between Putin and Pashinyan before the CSTO summit is not planned, Peskov says. Partner news | Ex-Karabakh leader moved to solitary confinement cell in Baku, his son says David Vardanyan is the son of former Karabakh leader Ruben Vardanyan who who is currently imprisoned in Azerbaijan. Freedom House concerned by mounting reports of police violence in Armenia Freedom House urged Armenian authorities to investigate this pattern of excessive force and inhumane treatment. Ex-President: Only removal of “defeatist” rulers can save Armenia Former Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan has shared a message on the 109th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. Pashinyan: We must stop searching for homeland, we have found that homeland Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has shared a message on the 109th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. |