“TURKEY SHOULD LOOK AT ITS OWN RECORD ON HUMAN RIGHTS AND DENIAL,” Said Aram I in his TV Interview
December 2011
On Friday 23 December 2011, during an interview with OTV, the Lebanese station, and the Yerkir Media, His Holiness Aram I criticized the position of Turkey vis-à-vis the Middle East, and its response to the recent vote on the Armenian Genocide in the House of Representatives (USA) and the French Parliament Bill criminalizing Armenian Genocide Denial. He also challenged Turkey to look at its own history, which is built on bloodshed, persecution and genocide, before criticizing other countries for their democratic values.
In response to a question regarding Christian presence in the Middle East, Catholicos Aram I expressed his dismay at the fact that Turkey is preparing an “International Conference on Christian Presence in the Middle East”. He said: “Sadly, does not return the movable and immovable properties belonging to the Armenian Church and the people and continues to deny the victims of the Genocide the right to compensation. All that Turkey wants today is to appear as the guardian of the rights of Christians in the Middle East”. His Holiness then added that no Armenian besides representatives from the Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople should participate in this so-called ‘International Conference.’
He then informed the journalists that from 26 to 28 January 2012, a meeting, organized by the World Council of Churches and the Middle East Council of Churches, will be held at the Catholicosate in Antelias. Participants in this meeting will assess Christian presence in the Middle East and discuss ways to strengthen Christian-Muslim dialogue in the region.
When asked to comment on the recent Genocide vote by USA House of Representatives and the Genocide Denial Bill by the French Parliament, His Holiness Aram I welcomed the two initiatives. He said that they reflect a commitment to human rights, and he particularly thanked the French Parliament, noting that he had already written to President Nicolas Sarkozy.
In the end he thanked the Hay Tad Committee in France and all Committees who continue to work for justice for the Armenian Cause.
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