AZG Armenian Daily #149, 24/08/2005

Diaspora

‘ISSUE OF NATIONAL MINORITIES IS AN INNER ISSUE’

Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople States

Mesrop II Mutafian, Armenian Patriarch of Constantinople, participated in
the 20th celebration of Youth International Day in Cologne, Germany, Turkish
Hurriyet newspaper informed in its August 21 issue.

He said that some people trouble them by touching upon the issue of national
minorities every time. “We are Turkish citizens. If we have any problems, we
will turn to the Turkish authorities. Those issues should be settled in
Turkey. The Turkish community of Germany also has problems. The Turks living
in Germany have problems with carrying out their religious ceremonies; they
have no clergymen and teachers to pass their native language and the culture
to the next generations. The Armenians dwelling in Turkey have the same
problems. The EU is a certain means, in this respect. But the most important
issues for Turkey are its Education and economy and not the national
minorities,” he added.

By Hakob Chakrian