CATHOLICOS OF ALL ARMENIANS MET REPRESENTATIVES OF 30 TURKISH MEDIA
ArmRadio.am
26.06.2006 16:49
Yesterday the Catholicos of all Armenians Garegin II met the
journalists in Istanbul. Representatives of about 30 Turkish media,
both print and broadcast, participated in the meeting with the Supreme
Patriarch. Editor-in-chief of the Turkey based "Zhamanak" newspaper
Ara Kochunyan told "Radiolur" that among others the Armenian Issue
was discussed.
As we have informed earlier, on June 20 the Catholicos of All Armenians
Garegin II left for Istanbul at the invitation of Archbishop Mesrop
Mutafyan and Ecumenical Patriarch His All-Holiness Bartholomew
I. This was the third visit of Armenian religious leaders to Turkey
during the last 50 years. In 1961 Vazgen I paid an official visit to
Turkey. In 1996 Garegin the First’s visit was non-official. Garegin the
Second’s visit is also of a non-official character. It was, however,
a unique opportunity for Turkish journalists to meet the Catholicos
of all Armenians.
The issue of the accident at Ataturk Airport on the day of the visit
of the Patriarch was not evaded, either.
To remind, a group of 50 people organized an act of protest next t
the airport. Those protesting threw eggs on cars of two Patriarchs,
who were meeting Garegin II According to the editor-in-chief of
"Zhamanak" daily, the media coverage of today’s press conference and
the Catholicos’s visit was rather balanced and objective.
The hooliganism of the nationalists did not receive proper attention
of the media; the political parties did not respond, ether.
By the way, in the framework of the PACE summer session Turkish Prime
Minister Rejeb Tayyib Erdogan is expected to deliver a speech before
the European MPs on June 28. The topic is rather interesting: the
necessity of maintaining the balance between the freedom of speech and
the respect for the believers’ rights. The Armenian delegation will
try to receive the Prime Minister’s response regarding the Turkish
version of respecting the religious feelings.