His Holiness Karekin II Receives Turkish Intellectuals
09.12.2004
On December 8, His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, received a group of 30 Turkish scientists, journalists, authors and intellectuals in the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin. The delegation from Turkey were members of the "Eastern Assembly Initiative" who are in Armenia accompanied by Hagop Dink and Ara Kochounian, editors of the Istanbul-based "Agos" and "Jamanak" newspapers respectively.
Mr. Dink introduced the delegation to His Holiness and expressed the gratitude of the group for the audience. He noted that the intention of the participants was to become better acquainted with their neighboring country and people, and their cultural, economic, political and religious life.
The Catholicos of All Armenians welcomed the guests and greeted the initiative stating, "An important mission is reserved for intellectuals in the spheres of education and instruction, in the internal national and public life of each country, as well as in the formation of mutual relationships between countries and peoples, and in their progress and development."
During the meeting, in response to questions from the Turkish delegation, His Holiness presented the mission of the Armenian Church throughout the world, focusing on the difficulties during the Soviet years, and the new opportunities and challenges in the present day of Armenian independent statehood. Special mention was made by His Holiness of the pan-national nature of Armenian life and the work of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin in inter-church and inter-faith ties.
With regards to the current state of Armenia-Turkey relations, His Holiness specifically emphasized the Armenian Genocide, and stressed that the genocide is a historical fact which cannot be a point of debate.
Regarding international conflicts in the region, as well as in the Middle East, the Pontiff of All Armenians underscored the necessity of not attributing a religious nature or religious grounds to these disputes. His Holiness stated that an excellent path to resolving and settling these conflicts would be through inter-faith dialogue.
Concluding his remarks, His Holiness Karekin II extended his best wishes for the success of the mission of the "Eastern Assembly Initiative". Present for the meeting were His Eminence Archbishop Grigoris Buniatian, primate of the Armenian Diocese of the Ukraine, and His Grace Bishop Arshak Khatchatrian, Chancellor of the Mother See.
