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Turkish-Armenian conflict rears its head in Lebanon

Lebanon has been invited to the Armenian Genocide Centennial in Yerevan, as well as to the commemoration of the Battle of Gallipoli in Ankara, which will both be held on the same day, thus raising questions about Lebanon’s stance regarding the 1915 Armenian massacres.
Lebanese of Armenian descent carry banners as they wave Lebanese and Armenian flags during a march from Bourj Hammoud to downtown Beirut's Martyrs Square, April 24, 2013, to mark the 98th anniversary of the mass killing of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire in 1915. REUTERS/Sharif Karim (LEBANON - Tags: POLITICS CIVIL UNREST) - RTXYXYB

A latent conflict between Turkey and Armenia has erupted in Beirut over the commemoration of the Armenian Genocide Centennial, particularly in terms of the Lebanese authorities’ stance regarding the celebrations that will be held to mark the occasion.

Lebanon counts a large Armenian community that may be the most prominent among the Armenian diaspora. There are nearly 150,000 Lebanese Armenians, who have an active economic presence in Lebanon, in addition to their participation in the Lebanese political and constitutional system. They have a permanent ministerial share of one or two ministers, depending on the size of the Cabinet, as well as six parliament seats, four of which are in Beirut, where the majority of the Lebanese Armenians live.

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