Each country is free to choose what event to participate in, Germany's Ambassador to Armenia Reiner Morell said at today's press conference when asked which of the two events Germany will attend on 24 April 2015 - the Armenian event dedicated to the Centenary of the Armenian Genocide or the Turkish one marking the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Gallipoli.
In the meantime, Ambassador Morell failed to give a direct answer to the question which of the two events Germany will to choose to attend. However, he stressed the need to take into account the goal of the invitation.
To recall, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has sent invitations to the heads of 102 states to attend the events dedicated to the 100th anniversary of Turkey's victory in the Battle of Gallipoli. Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan has also received such an invitation. In his reply letter, Sargsyan has given a three-page explanation of his refusal to attend the event. Earlier, Serzh Sargsyan invited Erdogan to visit Yerevan on 24 April 2015 to take part in the event dedicated to the Centenary of the Armenian Genocide, however, he has not received any reply yet.
It is known for sure that on 24 April 2015 Azeri President Ilham Aliyev and Prince Charles will visit Istanbul, while the Pope and French President Francois Hollande will visit Yerevan.