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The Armenian lobby in France has stepped up pressure on French-Armenian musician Charles Aznavour for recent remarks in which he expressed uneasiness over the use of word Genocide for the World War I-era killings of Armenians by Ottoman Turks, reports Today’s Zaman.
Aznavour has become the target of harsh criticism from Armenian groups in France since he said during a television program on Sunday that “the word genocide disturbs him.”
“A different word should be found to reopen the Turkish-Armenian border and to [facilitate] dialogue with Turks,” the chansonnier said during a TV program titled “Vivement Dimanche” and aired on France 2. He also expressed a wish to visit Turkey, referring to Turks as “good people.”
The Armenian community in France has been harshly criticizing Aznavour over the Internet, accusing him of betraying the Armenian cause.