JACQUES CHIRAC: WE MUST WANT, WISH AND BELIEVE IN PEACE

Panorama.am
13:39 02/10/06

The Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin B received on Sunday Jacques
Chirac, President of France and the delegation spearheaded by him.

President Chirac expressed an honest interest to the religious center
with 1705 time record. Greeting the guest Catholicos Garegin B said
France’s President’s visit commemorates 15th anniversary of the
Armenian statehood and the events to be organized within the year
of Armenia in France. "It is a beautiful proof of the friendship
between our nations," the Catholicos said. He thanked the president
for the support to the Armenian nation. He especially thanked for
hosting the Armenians who fled from the Turkish massacres during the
Armenian Genocide. The Catholicos also informed the president that
the Armenian Church will have a diocese in France from now one.

The French president also thanked the religious head of All
Armenians. "We are happy that you will have a diocese in France. You
know that there many French people of Armenian decent in France due to
historical circumstances." Speaking about the genocide, the president
of France said, "It’s natural that France was one of the first
countries to recognize the Armenian Genocide. I hope by condemning
such crimes, we will stop the repetition in future." President Chirac
reiterated that France takes all the steps to contribute to Karabakh
conflict settlement. "We must want, wish and believe in peace,"
he said.