TURKEY’S ARMENIAN CHURCH, PRESS IN DISPUTE OVER "GENOCIDE" STATEMENT
Hurriyet website, Istanbul
8 Aug 06
Text of report by Asli Sozbilir, entitled "Embargo on notices in
community’s press", published by Turkish daily Hurriyet website on
8 August
The Armenian Patriarchate has imposed an embargo on church notices on
the Armenian community newspapers Agos and Jamanak, which had harshly
criticized Turkey’s Armenian Patriarch Mesrob II for stating that he
did not agree with the "recognize the genocide" announcement made by
the Catholicos for All Armenians Karekin II.
The negative stance adopted by both newspapers against the Patriarch
prompted the Spiritual Council into action. The Council got together
with the leaders of the community’s foundations and raised the issue
of not giving either newspaper church announcements.
The first test of this call by the Patriarch to boycott announcements
was made last week. The notice for the Surp Garabet Church, which is
the traditional place of celebration for Vartavar Yortusu, appeared
only in the Marmara newspaper and not the two newspapers in question.
When the Armenian community objected to the publication of notices
getting drawn into the argument between the Patriarch and the press,
30 foundation leaders held a meeting last week and published a joint
statement in order to reduce tensions between the Patriarchate and
the two newspapers.
While the statement went to great lengths to emphasize freedom of the
press it also noted that they did not support the method of banning
church notices.
Following this statement, Patriarchate officials got together with
the foundation leaders and stated they were ending the boycott. The
statement issued by the Patriarchate said that Mesrob II had no
involvement in the incident, and refuted allegations of an embargo.