ARAM I: “SYRIA AND LEBANON SHOULD JOINTLY PREVENT TODAY’S CHALLENGES
IN THE MIDDLE EAST”
ANTELIAS, November 30 (Noyan Tapan). Mufti of Aleppo Sheikh Hasun paid
an official visit to the Mother Church of Antelias on November 24, and
was received by Catholicos of the Great Cilician House Aram I
there. The Mufti was accompanied by his son and the main
secretary. Bishop Gegham Khacherian, the head of the Armenians of
Lebanon, Archimandrite Shahan Sargsian, the head of the Berio Diocese,
Ministers Sepuh Hovnanian and Alen Taburian, representatives of the
Central Administration and monks were present at the reception. The
head executive of the Syrian forces to Beirut was also present at the
reception.
Greeting Mufti Hasun’s visit, Supreme Patriarch Aram I said: “Your
visit is the evidence of brotherly cooperation between Syria and
Lebanon. These two independent countries, which strengthen owing to
mutual confidence, should jointly prevent today’s challenges in the
Middle East. Your presence here is also the evidence of the necessity
of the Christian-Moslem dialogue.
The Catholicos of the Great Cilician House also emphasized: “Syria
plays an important role in our people’s life. We have never forgotten
brotherly attitude that our Syrian brothers and sisters displayed
towards our people after the 1915 massacre, when Ottoman Turkey made
an attempt to annihilate the whole nation. Syria has become the second
Motherland for us and we continue contributing to its well-being and
development.”
Sheikh Hasun thanked for warm welcome, he also touched upon the
centuries-old friendship between the Armenian and Arabian people,
especially Armenia’s contribution to the well-being of Syria. The
Sheikh also stressed the necessity of the Christian-Moslem dialogue
and called for cooperating in different spheres.
Then the Catholicos of the Great Cilician House organized dinner in
honor of the guest, in which officials, members of the Central
Administration and the head executive of the Syrian forces to Beirut
were present.
Sheikh Hasun was the guest of Supreme Patriarch Aram I, he has stayed
in Lebanon for few days and also had other meetings.