PATRIARCH MESROB II: I DO NOT AGREE WITH KAREKIN II’S COMMENTS ON GENOCIDE

Hurriyet, Turkey
June 28 2006

Patriach Mesrob II, the leader of the Armenian Orthodox community
in Turkey, has commented on his differing views from those expressed
last week by Catholicos Karekin II, the world leader of the Armenian
Orthodox Church, who was in Istanbul last week for a visit.

Karekin, who came to Istanbul as the guest of Greek Fener Patriarch
Bartholomeus and as well as of Patriarch Mesrob II, held a press
conference at the Armenian Patriarchate on Sunday during which he
called on Turkey to officially recognize the events of 1915 as a
genocide against the Armenians. Mesrob II had subsequently commented
to the press that his perspective on the matter differs from that
of Karekin II’s, and that the Turkish-Armenian relationship is not
soley based on incidents which took place between 1890-1923.

Responding to reporters’ questions about what he thought of Karekin
II’s statements about genocide, Mesrob II said: "How can I comment
on those statements? I guess I could say ‘They were as I expected
they would be.’ At the press conference at which Katekin II spoke,
TV cameras from the Armenian station Shoagat were present. All of
the diaspora watches Shoagat TV. So Karekin knew the public he was
addressing with his comments. I think differently on the matter, as
I have said many times in the past. The disaster of 1915 should be
examined on separate platforms by politcians, historians, diplomats,
and sociologists. This would be very helpful in terms of creating
empathy and understanding, rather than enmity."