YEREVAN (Noyan Tapan)–Prominent political and public figures–representatives of the clergy and local Armenian communities visited Armenia’s diplomatic missions on October 29-31 to offer their condolences and express resentment over the tragic events that occurred at the meeting hall of the National Assembly of Armenia on October 27. Numerous telegrams and messages of condolences have also been received.
First Vice-President of Iran Dr. Hasan Ibrahim Habibi visited the Armenian embassy in Iran on October 31 where he left a condolence note in the book on the sad occasion. During his talk with Armenia’s Ambassador to Iran Gegham Gharibjanian–Habibi strongly condemned the now-infamous crime at the Armenian parliament on October 27 and wished the soonest improvement of the situation.
On behalf of Syrian President Hafez Asad–Syrian State Minister for Presidential Affairs Wahib Fadel visited the Armenian Embassy and expressed condolences to Armenia’s Ambassador to Damascus Levon Sargssian and to the President of Armenia–the Government–the people and the families of the deceased. Condolences were also offered by Syrian National Assembly Chairman Abd al-Kadir Kadurai and National Assembly Secretary–Chairman of the Syrian-Armenian Friendship Commission Nihad Mushantati–Prime Minister Mahmud Zowbi and members of the government as well as the Foreign Policy Department of Syria.
The October 27 events at the National Assembly of Armenia also evoked a wide response and aroused anger in the upper political circles and various strata of French society. Many officials personally expressed their condolences to embassy officials.
The Embassy in France also received telegrams from French President Jacques Chirac–Prime Minister Lionel Jospin–Senate Speaker Christian Poncelet–National Assembly Chairman Laurent Fabius–Foreign Minister Hubert Vedrine–Chairman of the Deputy Groups of Armenian-French Friendship of the French Senate and National Assembly Jacques Oudin and Jean-Paul Bret. Condolence message were also received from a number of international organizations–including the European Parliament–the Council of Europe and UNESCO.
