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FRANCE FINDS SITE FOR ARMENIAN MONUMENT
By Ali Ihsan Aydýn, Paris
Zaman Online, Turkey
Feb 9 2006
France has not been able to find an appropriate place for a monument
of Ataturk, but recently established the future site of a monument
for the alleged Armenian genocide in the city of Lyon.
France declared 2006 as "the year of Armenia" and continues
establishing so-called genocide monuments. Following the example of the
Paris Municipality, the Lyon Municipality will also build a monument
for Armenians in an area noted on UNESCO's World Heritage List; where
changes are forbidden. Non-governmental organizations that opposed the
monument on the grounds that "the historical pattern will be changed"
could not prevent the decision. The monument will be unveiled April
24, the anniversary of the so-called genocide.
Turkey's former Ambassador to France Uluc Ozulker made concerted
efforts for a monument of Ataturk to be set up but obtained no result.
The project had been discussed for a long time in the Lyon Municipal
Assembly. Chairman Denis Broliquier opposed the site and the monument's
budget of 35,000 euros. Members of the Conservative People's Union
Movement and the Lyon Union also supported the chairman, but the
project was eventually passed with votes from the Socialist Party's
members. Antonin-Poncet Square, where the monument will be established,
is one of the most beautiful places of Lyon. The region is under the
protection of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization (UNESCO). The French set up a Komitas genocide monument
by the Seine River in Paris upon pressure from Armenian organizations.
The site was taken under UNESCO protection in 1991. The statue of
Komitas, turned into a show of force by the Armenians in France,
is in a square in the vicinity of the famous Champs-Elysee, a place
much frequented by tourists. France passed a law recognizing the
genocide in 2001 and declared 2006 as the year of Armenia; nearly
500,000 Armenians live in France.
UNESCO's 1972 Convention for the World Cultural and Natural Heritage
asks the protection of places on the list and no damage to their
natural pattern. But the Convention includes no mechanism to prevent
this. UNESCO can object the way it did in the construction of a road
near Mount Nemrut in Turkey. UNESCO sources told Zaman that pressure
can be put on France if it violates the rules and in the case of a
complaint from the public. Sources state the organization will ask
for information from France in case the issue comes to the agenda,
and say these regions may be included on the List of World Heritage
in Danger in the event the World Heritage Committee concurs a change
in the natural setting is made.
Istanbul, on the World Heritage list, was considered to be possibly
shifted to the List of World Heritage in Danger on the grounds it is
not sufficiently protected. UNESCO however started to follow Istanbul
and granted Turkey an additional two-year time period.
No room for Ataturk monument
The French, who offered one of their most popular places to the
Armenians, could not find room for a statue of the founder of the
Turkish Republic, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, in Paris, where statues of
many world-wide known figures reside. Turkey's former Ambassador to
Paris, Uluc Ozulker, made great efforts at the French offices for
the commissioning of the statue but obtained no result. The Turkish
Embassy has applied for the 16th region of Paris, where the embassy
is situated, for the setting of the statue. However, French officials
suggested the wall of the Princess Lamballe Castle for the monument,
the Turkish Embassy did not approve this idea and efforts remained
at a standstill. More than 450,000 Turks live in France.
--Boundary_(ID_S3tHbYe8DkWBuNP5CHVEmA)--
By Ali Ihsan Aydýn, Paris
Zaman Online, Turkey
Feb 9 2006
France has not been able to find an appropriate place for a monument
of Ataturk, but recently established the future site of a monument
for the alleged Armenian genocide in the city of Lyon.
France declared 2006 as "the year of Armenia" and continues
establishing so-called genocide monuments. Following the example of the
Paris Municipality, the Lyon Municipality will also build a monument
for Armenians in an area noted on UNESCO's World Heritage List; where
changes are forbidden. Non-governmental organizations that opposed the
monument on the grounds that "the historical pattern will be changed"
could not prevent the decision. The monument will be unveiled April
24, the anniversary of the so-called genocide.
Turkey's former Ambassador to France Uluc Ozulker made concerted
efforts for a monument of Ataturk to be set up but obtained no result.
The project had been discussed for a long time in the Lyon Municipal
Assembly. Chairman Denis Broliquier opposed the site and the monument's
budget of 35,000 euros. Members of the Conservative People's Union
Movement and the Lyon Union also supported the chairman, but the
project was eventually passed with votes from the Socialist Party's
members. Antonin-Poncet Square, where the monument will be established,
is one of the most beautiful places of Lyon. The region is under the
protection of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization (UNESCO). The French set up a Komitas genocide monument
by the Seine River in Paris upon pressure from Armenian organizations.
The site was taken under UNESCO protection in 1991. The statue of
Komitas, turned into a show of force by the Armenians in France,
is in a square in the vicinity of the famous Champs-Elysee, a place
much frequented by tourists. France passed a law recognizing the
genocide in 2001 and declared 2006 as the year of Armenia; nearly
500,000 Armenians live in France.
UNESCO's 1972 Convention for the World Cultural and Natural Heritage
asks the protection of places on the list and no damage to their
natural pattern. But the Convention includes no mechanism to prevent
this. UNESCO can object the way it did in the construction of a road
near Mount Nemrut in Turkey. UNESCO sources told Zaman that pressure
can be put on France if it violates the rules and in the case of a
complaint from the public. Sources state the organization will ask
for information from France in case the issue comes to the agenda,
and say these regions may be included on the List of World Heritage
in Danger in the event the World Heritage Committee concurs a change
in the natural setting is made.
Istanbul, on the World Heritage list, was considered to be possibly
shifted to the List of World Heritage in Danger on the grounds it is
not sufficiently protected. UNESCO however started to follow Istanbul
and granted Turkey an additional two-year time period.
No room for Ataturk monument
The French, who offered one of their most popular places to the
Armenians, could not find room for a statue of the founder of the
Turkish Republic, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, in Paris, where statues of
many world-wide known figures reside. Turkey's former Ambassador to
Paris, Uluc Ozulker, made great efforts at the French offices for
the commissioning of the statue but obtained no result. The Turkish
Embassy has applied for the 16th region of Paris, where the embassy
is situated, for the setting of the statue. However, French officials
suggested the wall of the Princess Lamballe Castle for the monument,
the Turkish Embassy did not approve this idea and efforts remained
at a standstill. More than 450,000 Turks live in France.
--Boundary_(ID_S3tHbYe8DkWBuNP5CHVEmA)--
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