YEREVAN

As the entire country celebrated National Sovereignty and Children's Day on April 23 with various activities, the day which has a highly symbolic importance for the foundation of the Republic of Turkey offered a unique opportunity for political leaders to deliver messages on their primary issues.

YEREVAN - Serbia understands the suffering of the Armenians that began on April 24, 1915 because the people of Serbia were victims of genocide committed against them in World War II, Serbian MP Aleksandar Cotric said during a global panel against the crime of genocide held in Yerevan.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has joined the list of world leaders and governments who have named the killing of Armenians at the hands of the Ottoman Empire ?genocide,? just one day after the Austrian parliament issued a similar declaration, prompting Turkey to recall its ambassador. 

Burgas airport in Bulgaria confirmed to Balkan Insight that the plane carrying the Bosnian Serb President Milorad Dodik to Armenia was forced to turn back to Bosnia on Wednesday, after Turkey denied permission for it to cross its air space.
 

Turkey denies it prevented Dodik from reaching Armenia

ANKARA -- The Turkish Foreign Ministry has denied that the country on Wednesday blocked its airspace for an airplane carrying RS President Milorad Dodik.

Ankara has refuted claims suggesting that the Turkish authorities stopped Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik's plane from flying over its territory The Turkish capital has refuted claims suggesting Turkish authorities on April 22 stopped Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik's plane from flying over its territory, preventing him from attending a ceremony to mark the centenary of the mass kil

Dodik's plane heading to Armenia unable to fly over Turkey

BANJA LUKA -- Milorad Dodik was on Wednesday traveling to Armenia at the invitation President Serzh Sargsyan, but his plane did not receive the permission to fly over Turkey.

After several hours of waiting in Bulgaria, the plane on Wednesday afternoon returned to Banja Luka.

Armenian forces on killed on April 16 an Azerbaijani soldier in the latest breach of a ceasefire between the arch-foes locked in a simmering conflict over the disputed Nagorny Karabakh region, officials in Baku said.

Former Foreign Affairs Minister Titus Corlatean, currently honorary adviser to the Prime Minister, on Thursday said that Romania had a "wise attitude" and preferred to encourage the dialogue between Turkey and Armenia concerning the "extremely delicate" topic of "the genocide" against Armenians.

Photocredit: (c) Alex TUDOR / AGERPRES ARCHIVE

The good news came through a column. Hürriyet columnist Fatih Çekirge opened his piece, ?How Turkey?s crisis with the Christian world was averted,? on March 30, datelined ?The Vatican,? by relieving everyone: ?Let?s first break the news. Turkey and the Christian world have gone through a serious crisis over Apr. 24 [the anniversary of the Armenian genocide].