Aram I Urges Yerevan to Not ‘Endanger’ Armenia’s Statehood and Territorial Integrity

January 9,  2020



Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia

Amid unconfirmed reports that Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan will meeting the presidents of Russia and Azerbaijan on Monday in Moscow, where he is reportedly going finalize details of the November 9 agreement, His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia urged official Yerevan to not sign any agreements that would further endanger Armenia’s statehood and territorial integrity.

The pontiff cautioned that the immediate salvation and protection of the Armenian state must be held above all other considerations.

“As we mentioned on the day, the declaration to end the war unleashed by the Azeri-Turkish army against Artsakh contains several vague and ambiguous points that could endanger the security, independence and territorial integrity of the Armenian state,” said Aram I in a statement issued by the Catholicosate on Saturday.

“The dangerous points of the ceasefire declaration should be clarified at the request of Armenia and with the support of Russia. The strong and secure preservation of the territorial integrity of Armenia and the state is an indisputable National matter,” added the Catholicos.

“At critical junctures throughout our centuries-old history and in the face of dangers threatening the existence of our nation and the homeland, our people have voiced their ‘no’ at the cost of every sacrifice,” explained Aram I.

“We do not know the details of the agenda of the Putin-Pashinyan-Aliyev meeting to be held on January 11 in Moscow. It is our demand—we believe also our people’s—that Yerevan should not endanger Armenia’s sovereignty, statehood and territorial integrity by signing any agreement.”

Emil Lazarian

“I should like to see any power of the world destroy this race, this small tribe of unimportant people, whose wars have all been fought and lost, whose structures have crumbled, literature is unread, music is unheard, and prayers are no more answered. Go ahead, destroy Armenia . See if you can do it. Send them into the desert without bread or water. Burn their homes and churches. Then see if they will not laugh, sing and pray again. For when two of them meet anywhere in the world, see if they will not create a New Armenia.” - WS