IIn addition, though Armenian President Robert Kocharian is not himself attending, he will be sending his top level consultant, Samson Ozarat, who emigrated from Turkey to Armenia some years ago, to attend the funeral. Also in attendance will be Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister Arman Kirakosian, as well as the General Secretary of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Foundation, Karen Mirzoyan. From France, which has a strong Armenian community of its own, the head of the French Armenian Foundation, Alexi Govcian, will arrive in Turkey with a delegation, as will Armenian religious leaders from both Bulgaria and Romania. 

Patriarch Karekin II represented by Barsamian
 
Arriving at Istanbul's Ataturk Airport yesterday was Armenian Patriarch Hajak Barsamian, the Orthodox leader of Armenians living on the East Coast of the US, and who arrived in Turkey as the official representative of Patriarch Karekin II, the world leader of the Armenian community.