YEREVAN, 3 APRIL, ARMENPRESS. For the time being, President of the Federal Republic of Germany Joachim Gauck (non-partisan) intends to participate in the Holy Mass to commemorate the victims of the Armenian Genocide to be held in Berlin on April 23^rd. By participating in the Holy Mass, Gauck will become the first German President to have participated in the ceremonies commemorating the victims of the Armenian Genocide. This is what the President’s press speaker announced, as “Armenpress” reports, citing the German heute.de (news broadcast on Germany’s second television channel-ZDF). “The President will participate in the Holy Mass in Berlin to commemorate the Armenian victims and the victims of other Christian minorities that underwent suffering in the Ottoman Empire,” said the speaker, as heute.de reports. The media outlet also reports that the governmental coalition disagrees with the text of the resolution devoted to the anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. The word “genocide” has been used in the resolution drawn up by the Lefts and the Greens.

 According to the sources of Tagesspiegel Daily, the term was also used in the joint report of the coalitional forces (CDU-CSU and Social Democrats), but was later removed from the text under pressure from the leaders of the factions and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Photo by Adam Berry