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ARMENIAN SINGERS BOYCOTT EUROVISION SONG CONTEST 2012 IN BAKU
armradio.am
24.02.2012 14:22
A group of Armenian singers have released a statement addressed to
the European Broadcasting Union and the Armenian Public TV Company
saying they will not participate in the Eurovision Song Contest 2012,
which will take place in Baku. The statement reads, in part:
"Armenian soldier Albert Adibekyan was shot dead by an Azerbaijani
sniper near the village of Chinari in Tavush region. And this
happens at a time when the mediators in the negotiation process of
the Karabakh conflict have several times called on the conflicting
parties to withdraw snipers from the Line of Contact.
The Armenian side has always declared it is ready to withdraw its
snipers, while Azerbaijan, as we can see, not only does not accept
the proposal but also takes advantage of every occasion to shed the
blood of Armenians.
Under these circumstances we, the undersigned, are stating in public
that we have the most serious reservation over Armenia's participation
in the Eurovision to be held in Baku.
Armenia has taken part in all Eurovision song contests, including the
junior ones. However, the perspective of holding this year's contest in
Baku has been severely criticized by NGOs and politicians of a number
of countries, as well as international organizations. We are declaring
that we refuse to take part in the contest to be held in Baku.
We refuse to perform in a country that is notorious for its mass
killings and massacres of Armenians, a country where anti-Armenian
sentiment is part of state policy, a country where ethnic Armenians
are denied entry, even if they are citizens of other countries."
The singers recalled the killing of Armenian Officer Gurgen Margaryan
during NATO classes in Budapest in 2004, noting that this can happen
to every Armenian singer or member of the delegation.
"We refuse to perform in a country, which organized mass killings in
Sumgayit, Kirovabad, Baku, Mingechaur and Maragha, a country, which
attacked the peaceful population of Nagorno Karabakh and continue
threatening to kill Armenians. All this happens on the level of the
President and different state bodies, which have been disseminating a
feeling of revenge and hatred towards Armenians among their citizens,"
the singers wrote.
They called on the Public Television to refuse from sending a
participant to that country and declared that they will participate in
Eurovision 2012 should the European Broadcasting Union decide to move
the contest to any other country, adding that they will participate
in all future Eurovision Song Contests.
armradio.am
24.02.2012 14:22
A group of Armenian singers have released a statement addressed to
the European Broadcasting Union and the Armenian Public TV Company
saying they will not participate in the Eurovision Song Contest 2012,
which will take place in Baku. The statement reads, in part:
"Armenian soldier Albert Adibekyan was shot dead by an Azerbaijani
sniper near the village of Chinari in Tavush region. And this
happens at a time when the mediators in the negotiation process of
the Karabakh conflict have several times called on the conflicting
parties to withdraw snipers from the Line of Contact.
The Armenian side has always declared it is ready to withdraw its
snipers, while Azerbaijan, as we can see, not only does not accept
the proposal but also takes advantage of every occasion to shed the
blood of Armenians.
Under these circumstances we, the undersigned, are stating in public
that we have the most serious reservation over Armenia's participation
in the Eurovision to be held in Baku.
Armenia has taken part in all Eurovision song contests, including the
junior ones. However, the perspective of holding this year's contest in
Baku has been severely criticized by NGOs and politicians of a number
of countries, as well as international organizations. We are declaring
that we refuse to take part in the contest to be held in Baku.
We refuse to perform in a country that is notorious for its mass
killings and massacres of Armenians, a country where anti-Armenian
sentiment is part of state policy, a country where ethnic Armenians
are denied entry, even if they are citizens of other countries."
The singers recalled the killing of Armenian Officer Gurgen Margaryan
during NATO classes in Budapest in 2004, noting that this can happen
to every Armenian singer or member of the delegation.
"We refuse to perform in a country, which organized mass killings in
Sumgayit, Kirovabad, Baku, Mingechaur and Maragha, a country, which
attacked the peaceful population of Nagorno Karabakh and continue
threatening to kill Armenians. All this happens on the level of the
President and different state bodies, which have been disseminating a
feeling of revenge and hatred towards Armenians among their citizens,"
the singers wrote.
They called on the Public Television to refuse from sending a
participant to that country and declared that they will participate in
Eurovision 2012 should the European Broadcasting Union decide to move
the contest to any other country, adding that they will participate
in all future Eurovision Song Contests.