Мисс Юниверс в Ираке — продолжение банкета

[groul]

Я уже не знаю кто теперь врет, Правда или ABC, но довольно увлекательный поворот событий получился.

PRAVDA, Russia

April 28 2006

Young woman denies reports she won Miss Iraq contest and returned the

title

04/28/2006 00:42 Source:           

 

A young Iraqi woman has denied reports that she won the Miss Iraq

beauty pageant and returned the title after receiving threats from

Islamic extremists.

"Everything is a big lie and fabricated. I never took part in such an

event and did not even know that a beauty pageant had taken place,"

Tamar Goregian told The Associated Press in a phone interview on

Thursday.

Earlier this month, the American TV network ABC reported that

Goregian had won the Miss Iraq contest which was held in a Baghdad

social club on April 9. She gave back the beauty crown four days

later because she was threatened by religious extremists who called

her as "the queen of infidels" for taking part in a contest that

violated Islamic principles.

The Associated Press reported the ABC story on April 12. A person

familiar with the pageant confirmed the report to the AP but insisted

on anonymity as he said he also feared retribution from Islamic

militants.

Goregian, 29, an engineer and a Christian of Armenian origin, said

she came to Jordan on April 10, the day after the contest, to look

after her mother who was to undergo an operation in the kingdom.

"Those lies caused me fear and worry," Goregian said Thursday. "The

false reports that I have taken part in the pageant contest and

(received) threats from Muslim groups could expose me to danger."

"I am afraid to return to Iraq and I'm afraid for my family, who

remained in Baghdad," she added.

Asked about the person who confirmed the ABC report to the AP,

Goregian insisted that she did not take part in any Miss Iraq

contest.

ABC said that after Goregian handed back the award, the title of Miss

Iraq went to Silva Shahakian, another Iraqi Christian.

Shahakian was quoted by ABC's "Good Morning America" as saying she

would keep the title, but she planned to change her residence for

personal safety.

"This chance does not come to every girl. So, I'm lucky to have that.

I'm not going to lose it," she said in the program broadcast April

11.

The network said the pageant organizers are hoping to send Shahakian

to the Miss Universe contest which is due to be held in Los Angeles

on July 23, reports AP,.