Armenian minister proposes to rename the country
17.01.2014,
15:28
Armenia’s education and science minister Armen Ashotyan proposed today that the official name of the country -the Republic of Armenia- be renamed as the Republic of Eastern Armenia.
YEREVAN, January 17. / ARKA /. Armenia’s education and science minister Armen Ashotyan proposed today that the official name of the country -the Republic of Armenia- be renamed as the Republic of Eastern Armenia.
Historically Armenia was divided into Eastern and Western Armenia. Eastern Armenia was part of Persia until the beginning of the XIX century before it became part of the Russian Empire. Part of Eastern Armenia later became the First Republic and then it was seized by Bolsheviks to become the Soviet Armenia. In 1991 it was proclaimed as independent Republic of Armenia.
Western Armenia is now part of Turkey. Its population was annihilated by the government of Turkey in 1915-1923 in the first genocide of the last century.
Ashotyan, who is deputy chairman of the ruling Republican Party of Armenia, first came out with this proposal back in 2005. -0-
