Turkey has been unwilling to acknowledge that thousands of Armenians were killed during World War I. A Turkish newspaper, The New Anatolian, reporting on Chirac's plans, referred to the massacre as "the so-called Armenian genocide" and said the president's trip could be an additional strain on relations between France and Turkey.

Chirac is scheduled to arrive in Armenia Sept. 29. He and President Robert Kocharian are expected to discuss Armenian "genocide" claims and the relationship between France and Armenia. UPI