A conference on minorities living in Turkey will be held in Paris on Saturday as a part of activities marking the "Year of Armenian."

The conference, to be held in the Parisian suburb of Versailles, is being referred to as "the common activity of the minorities once exterminated or oppressed by Turkey."

The theme of the conference focuses on the past and future of the Armenian, Chaldean, Assyrian, Greek and Kurdish minorities. Leading figures from minority associations and academics will also take part in the conference.

France had declared September 2006 to July 2007 as the Year of Armenia, a step that has been interpreted as a move to win votes of the approximately 500,000 Armenians living in France ahead of the French presidential elections in 2007.

'Armenian genocide' postage stamp

A postage stamp themed the 'Armenian genocide' has been printed in France for the first time as part of the Year of Armenia.

French postal offices will not distribute the stamps, which were printed by a collector. Those who are interested can purchase the stamps for two and a half Euros and use them on their letters.

Cihan News Agency