ARMENIAN SPIRITUAL LEADER IN ISTANBUL

Zaman, Turkey
June 21 2006

Head of the Armenian Apostolic Church, Karekin II, came to Istanbul
Tuesday as a guest of Turkey’s Armenians Patriarch Mesrop II and
Greek Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew.

Karekin II, welcomed by Bartholomew, will hold week-long meetings
with several leaders.

Karekin II, who traveled from Erivan on Armenian Airlines, was expected
to leave the airport via the VIP Hall at Istanbul’s Ataturk Airport,
but left instead in a vehicle convoy for security reasons.

A crowd of nearly 50 gathered at the airport protested the arrival
of Karekin II.