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Aram I:"How Is It Possible To Accept Turkey In European Community Wh
December 18, 2004 12:32:42
ARAM I: "HOW IS IT POSSIBLE TO ACCEPT TURKEY IN EUROPEAN COMMUNITY
WHEN IT STILL IGNORES GENOCIDE COMMITTED AGAINST ARMENIAN PEOPLE"
ANTELIAS, LEBANON, December 15 (Noyan Tapan). In the context of a
telephone interview with a European press agency, and in answering to a
question concerning the membership of Turkey in European community, His
Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of Cilicia, expressed his concern and said:
"European community was not established only on economic interests
and political collaboration. It is fundamentally a community of human
values which ensure the identity, integrity and unity of Europe,
and give a particular place and role to Europe in international
community. Among these values human rights occupy an important place".
According to the Press Office of the Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia,
His Holiness Aram I raised a great doubt and concern about the way
the human rights are respected in Turkey. He said: "To what degree
and in what way the human rights values are accepted, respected and
practiced in and by Turkey? Turkey still ignores its immediate past;
it still rejects to recognize the Genocide which was planned and
executed by the Ottoman Turkey in 1915. I believe that the recognition
of the Armenian Genocide by Turkey is not only an "Armenian problem";
it is a problem that pertains to the entire international community,
since it is a problem of justice and human rights. The recognition of
the Armenian Genocide by Turkey must be taken very seriously by Europe
as Turkey is trying by all means to become a full member of Europe".
Then concluding his remarks, said: "In this globalized world of ours
nations, religions, cultures and civilizations must live together
on the basis of peaceful coexistence. But living together as good
neighbors and as part of broader community implies to accept our fault,
to affirm the truth and recognize the rights of the others. In fact,
the real community is built on the basis of mutual trust and by doing
justice. Therefore, it is my firm expectation that beyond economic and
political interests Europe will continue to remain firmly attached to
basic human values. It is the expectation and hope of Armenians all
over the world that the present Turkey reaffirm the truth, accepting
the historical reality by recognizing the Armenian Genocide".
In answering to a question related to the recent pressures and
difficulties surrounding the Ecumenical Patriarchate, in Turkey,
His Holiness Aram I said: "Here is another concrete example of the
way the human rights are respected in Turkey. The World Council of
Churches and the Conference of the Churches in Europe have publicly
expressed their concern on this matter expressing their solidarity
with the Ecumenical Patriarch".
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