SMALL COMMUNITY OF ARMENIANS LIVING IN TURKEY ARE THE HOSTAGE OF MODERN TURKEY, INCLUDING ARMENIAN PATRIARCH

Panorama.am
13:55 03/07/06

Mesrop Mutafyan, Patriarch of Konstandnopolis of the Armenian Apostolic
church was interviewed by Turkish Huriet reporter Sefa Kaplan on June
28. Mesrop Mutafyan expressed his disagreement with the statement
of Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin B made during his visit to
Istanbul which said that "Turkey must stop denying its policy and
must officially recognize what it had committed." Patriarch Mesrop,
on the other hand, said "he does not think so."

This is only an extract from the interview which is doubtful for any
Armenian and in case of Patriarch of Armenian Apostolic Church is
just unacceptable.

Special attention should be paid that Patriarch said that Armenians
and Turks have lived side by side for more than 1000 years whereas
every schoolchild knows that Turks have settled in our region in the
first half of 15th century only which makes only 500-600 years.

The most essential point made is that Mesrop Mutafyan repeats word by
word the Turkish approach which says that genocide should be discussed
by historians and scientists.

Of coarse, the Armenian Patriarch of Kostandnopolis is well aware
of the history and we do not think he says what he means concerning
genocide. The only explanation for the "difference of opinion" of M.

Mutafyan is that the several dozen thousand Armenians are HOSTAGES
in the hands of Turkish state authorities. If they dare to say
anything like any Armenian may say, the world may witness again
what is called Genocide. It’s true, there will be less victims this
time.