Itar-Tass News Agency, Russia
March 27 2007

Yerevan says restoration of Armenian church in Turkey "unprecedented"

Holy Echmiadzin (Armenia), 27 March: The Holy See of the Armenian
Apostolic Church will not send its representatives to an opening
ceremony of the restored Armenian Surb Khach Church (Holy Cross) on
Akhtamar Island (Lake Van) in Turkey, the press service of the Holy
See of Echmiadzin told our correspondent today.

An Armenian government delegation led by Deputy Culture Minister
Gagik Gurjyan will take part in the opening ceremony, Armenian
Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan said on 21 March.

The minister described the restoration of the unique monument of the
Armenian medieval architecture in Turkey as "positive", since "this
initiative taken by Turkey is unprecedented". In fact "hundreds and
thousands of Armenian monuments have been sunk into oblivion and
destroyed in Turkey, which prove that Armenians have lived on this
territories for many centuries," Oskanyan said. Yerevan hopes that
this [restoration of the church] will be a good start and the Ani
fortress situated on the border with Armenia will be also restored,
the minister noted.

Oskanyan believes that "only normalization of relations between the
two countries can become" a positive development in mutual relations
between Armenia and Turkey". "Unfortunately, Turkey does not take
steps to normalize relations with Armenia," the minister said. The
restoration of monuments is a single act and it does not normalize
contacts between the two neighbouring countries which have no even
diplomatic relations, the minister said.

The minister described as "ironic" the circumstance that the Armenian
delegation could have reached Akhtamar by a car for over four hours,
if the borders would have opened between Armenia and Turkey. But it
will be forced to reach Istanbul by plane and then travel to eastern
Turkey, or the delegation should travel via Georgia which will take
12 hours.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress