Mourning has been declared in Armenia in connection with the death of Charles Aznavour, and this expresses the love that each and every Armenian feels towards a great man, a great Frenchman and a great citizen, said Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.

His remark came at the farewell ceremony to French legend of Armenian origin Charles Aznavour in Paris on Friday.

Speaking about the ancestors of the musician, Pashinyan noted: “Just as hundreds of thousands of Armenians, they escaped during the Armenian Genocide and found their last refuge in France, where Vaghinag Aznavourian was born, who later was to become great Charles Aznavour. After overcoming difficulties, Charles finally found his passion: he knew his mission, and this mission was in overcoming an incredible way of becoming Aznavour. And he began to sing and write, sing and write within empty and half-empty halls, giving time to humanity to understand and realize that a big star had lit up on the horizon of world culture.”

According to Pashinyan, he did not manage to personally get acquainted with Aznavour. “Unfortunately, I did not manage to get acquainted with the great master, but believe me, I perceive him as a close relative, each and every Armenian perceives him this way, because Aznavour is the person who raised the name of an Armenian to a new height, who gave a new breath to feeling Armenian pride, a new shade that lived with the pains of his historic homeland and his people, cares and dreams.

Streets and squares are named after him in Armenia, and his monument has been standing for many years in Gyumri. And he is probably the only person whose monument was erected in Armenia in his lifetime,” the Armenian PM said.