ARAM I APPEALS TO SARGSYAN ON ARMENIA-TURKISH PROTOCOLS

Yerkir
23.09.2009 19:38
Yerevan

Yerevan (Yerkir) – His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House
of Cilicia, on Monday sent a letter to President Serzh Sargsyan
expressing concerns over the Turkey-Armenia protocols and urging
the president to engage the entire Armenian nation in this critical
pan-national issue.

In his extensive letter, the Catholicos outlines concerns, more vocally
about the threats the protocols bring to the veracity of the Armenian
Genocide, the Karabakh conflict resolution process and the imperative
of addressing this critical issue from pan-national perspective.

Aram I pointed out that the very existence of the Diaspora is a direct
result of the Genocide and forced upon the Armenian nation.

"The recognition of and reparations for the Armenian Genocide are
part of our national struggle. Thus it is imperative to approach the
matter carefully and with the great deal of sensitivity," said the
Catholicos in his letter warning that the Genocide issue cannot be
part of the negotiation process, as it is know fact.

"In a set of conditions, Turkey is likely to pressure Armenia. Ankara
will pursue to expunge the memory of 1.5 million slaughtered
Armenians," said the Catholicos who urged the president and his
administration to have a firm position on the Genocide.

The Catholicos also expressed his deep concern about the negative
conseque nces of the protocols on the fragile Karabakh conflict
resolution. He urged the president to ensure that the Turkey-Armenia
normalization does not adversely impact the Karabakh process.

He advised that the matter of the relations should be discussed
nationally and a solution to confront the challenges facing the nation
should be given by Armenia, Karabakh and Diaspora in unison.