‘CATHOLICOS OF ARMENIANS DOES NOT RESIST TEMPTATION TO SPEAK OF THE GENOCIDE’
By Hakob Chakrian

AZG Armenian Daily
15/09/2006

Turkish Hurriyet Paper Writes

His Holiness Karekin II Catholicos of All Armenians is currently in
Astana, Kazakhstan, participating in the Congress of Leaders of World
and Traditional Religions. The Supreme Patriarch was to make a report
on September 12 titled "Freedom of Faith and Respect to Followers of
Other religions". On the final day of the congress on September 14,
leaders of religions made a joint statement emphasizing the need
"to fight against biased approaches and ignorance".

Informing about the leaders’ statement, Turkish Hurriyet newspaper
wrote in September 12 issue that more than 150 journalists covered
the works of the Congress, and its end was marked by Karekin II’s
"propaganda of the so-called genocide".

"Availing of the right of final speech, Karekin II Catholicos could
not resist the temptation of speaking touching upon the genocide
issue. ‘Despite the genocide of 1915, persecutions and pursuits,
Armenians remain faithful to what they believe,’ he said.

Leaders of Orthodox churches as well as Yona Metzger, Ashkenazi Chief
Rabbi of Israel, welcomed Catholicos’s speech with applauses.

"The Armenian Catholicos who expresses the mood of the Armenian
Diaspora uses every occasion to defend the genocide thesis. In
Istanbul a lawsuit was filed against him for insulting Turkish
national self-esteem. His meeting with Greek Patriarch Bartholomeos
during his Istanbul visit incited lively discussions."