Chirac was welcomed at the airport by Armenian President Robert Kocharian who later treated him to a dinner. The two presidents were set to have official talks Saturday.

On Saturday, Chirac was also scheduled to visit a monument to Armenians who were killed in the final years of the Ottoman Empire or died in a forced evacuation.

Armenians say that as many as 1.5 million of their ancestors were killed in 1915-1923 in an organized genocidal campaign and have pushed for recognition of the killings as "genocide" around the world. Turkey rejects the claim that a mass evacuation and related deaths of Armenians was genocide and says the death toll is inflated.

Later on Saturday, Chirac was to meet with local French community and attend a concert by Charles Aznavour, a famous French singer of Armenian origin.

Chirac also was set to meet with the head of the Armenian Apostolic Church before leaving Sunday. AP

/The International Herald Tribune/