PRESS RELEASE
Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
Contact: V.Rev.Fr.Krikor Chiftjian, Communications Officer
Tel: (04) 410001, 410003
Fax: (04) 419724
E- mail: info@armenianorthodoxchurch.org
Web:

PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon

Armenian version: nian.htm

COMMUNIQUÉ

CATHOLICOS ARAM I AND THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE CALL UPON THE PEOPLE OF ARMENIA
TO PAVE A NEW PATH THAT WOULD STRENGTHEN THE HOMELAND

His Holiness Aram I presided over a joint meeting of the Religious and Lay
Councils of the Catholicosate of Cilicia’s Central Committee in Antelias
this morning. The meeting discussed the troubling developments in Armenia in
the last few days.

The Catholicos briefed the participants in the meeting on the frequent
consultations held in the last few days between himself and the Catholicos
of All Armenians, His Holiness Karekin II. Catholicos Aram I stressed that
deeply concerned about the situation in the country following presidential
elections, the two Armenian Pontiffs decided to call upon the Armenian
people and leaders to steer clear of dangerous courses that can lead to
unstable and insecure circumstances and to strengthen internal unity through
mutual understanding and by gathering around the homeland’s and nation’s
collective interests. Unfortunately, observed His Holiness, on the exact
same day the streets of Yerevan witnessed such events that are incompatible
with our spiritual, moral and national values.

Listening to the statements of the Catholicos, the Central Committee also
expressed regret with respect to the painful developments in Yerevan and
their consequences.

In the face of such dangerous situations one should be wise and realistic.
The current situation greatly weakens Armenia’s position in the Nagorno
Karabakh issue and the Armenian national struggle generally. It also creates
reservations in the international community towards Armenia.

As such, the Central Committee calls upon all the leaders of Armenia and the
children of our nation to hold onto our nation’s and homeland’s supreme and
collective interests. In this difficult phase, we consider the formation of
a national unity government an essential step to bring our homeland out of
this unstable situation and guide it towards stability and internal unity.

The Central Committee expresses its condolences to the families of innocent
victims and wishes swift recovery to all those injured during the clashes.

Following a decision by the two Armenian Pontiffs, a special requiem service
will be performed in all churches next Sunday in memory of those Armenians
who fell victims to the March 1 clashes.

##
View the photo here:
tos/Photos199.htm#3
*****
The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates of
the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the history and
the mission of the Cilician Catholicosate, you may refer to the web page of
the Catholicosate, The Cilician
Catholicosate, the administrative center of the church is located in
Antelias, Lebanon.