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Today, Azerbaijan
Jan 7 2010
Azerbaijani religious figure: We are very mindful of Catholicos of all
Armenians' role in stiring up Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict
07 January 2010 [14:07] - Today.Az
Day.Az interview with head of Azerbaijan-based Center for Protection
of Religion and Freedom of Conscience (DEVAMM) Ilgar Ibrahimoglu.
The world religious leaders will meet in Baku in April. Catholicos of
All Armenians Karekin II is also expected to be invited to the
summit. How do you comment on this information?
Obviously, such information would provoke debates in the local press.
But I think Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II will not eventually
arrive in Azerbaijan.
How do you assess activities of Karekin II in the post of Catholicos
of all Armenians?
Head of the Armenian Apostolic Church has always advocated occupation
policy and policy of territorial claims to neighboring states followed
by Armenia and Armenians of the world. We are very mindful of the
Catholicos of all Armenians' role in stiring up the
Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. We recall that the
former Catholicos of the Armenians Vazgen I, albeit informally, but
almost immediately became one of the leaders of Karabakh movement of
Armenians. For example, on Feb. 25, 1988, Vazgen I sent an open letter
to Mikhail Gorbachev demanding unification of Nagorno-Karabakh with
Armenia. This position of the Armenian Apostolic Church has not
changed. Only Catholicos of all Armenians has been replaced.
In other words, you believe that Karekin II, as well as subsequent
Catholicos of All Armenians, will lead the policy of territorial
claims to neighboring states?
Neither previous nor current Catholicos of All Armenians have made
statements condemning the genocide of Azerbaijanis in Khojaly although
civilians, old people and children were victims of this massacre. On
backdrop of this fact and also lack of peaceful initiatives for just
settlement of the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, one
cannot say the Catholicos of All Armenians has changed position.
How do you explain the fact that the Armenian Apostolic Church
announced Georgian authorities and the Georgian Orthodox Church
responsible for collapse of the Church of St. Gevorg in Tbilisi
without waiting for court decision on true causes of the incident?
There is nothing surprising about this move by the Armenian Apostolic
Church which testifies my above-said statement that it has always
stood at the head of policy of territorial claims to neighboring
states. I say this in order to recall that the world Armenian
community has very serious territorial claims against Georgia, in
particular, to Javakhetiya.
A. Hasanov
URL: http://www.today.az/news/politics/59060.html
From: Baghdasarian
Jan 7 2010
Azerbaijani religious figure: We are very mindful of Catholicos of all
Armenians' role in stiring up Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict
07 January 2010 [14:07] - Today.Az
Day.Az interview with head of Azerbaijan-based Center for Protection
of Religion and Freedom of Conscience (DEVAMM) Ilgar Ibrahimoglu.
The world religious leaders will meet in Baku in April. Catholicos of
All Armenians Karekin II is also expected to be invited to the
summit. How do you comment on this information?
Obviously, such information would provoke debates in the local press.
But I think Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II will not eventually
arrive in Azerbaijan.
How do you assess activities of Karekin II in the post of Catholicos
of all Armenians?
Head of the Armenian Apostolic Church has always advocated occupation
policy and policy of territorial claims to neighboring states followed
by Armenia and Armenians of the world. We are very mindful of the
Catholicos of all Armenians' role in stiring up the
Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. We recall that the
former Catholicos of the Armenians Vazgen I, albeit informally, but
almost immediately became one of the leaders of Karabakh movement of
Armenians. For example, on Feb. 25, 1988, Vazgen I sent an open letter
to Mikhail Gorbachev demanding unification of Nagorno-Karabakh with
Armenia. This position of the Armenian Apostolic Church has not
changed. Only Catholicos of all Armenians has been replaced.
In other words, you believe that Karekin II, as well as subsequent
Catholicos of All Armenians, will lead the policy of territorial
claims to neighboring states?
Neither previous nor current Catholicos of All Armenians have made
statements condemning the genocide of Azerbaijanis in Khojaly although
civilians, old people and children were victims of this massacre. On
backdrop of this fact and also lack of peaceful initiatives for just
settlement of the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, one
cannot say the Catholicos of All Armenians has changed position.
How do you explain the fact that the Armenian Apostolic Church
announced Georgian authorities and the Georgian Orthodox Church
responsible for collapse of the Church of St. Gevorg in Tbilisi
without waiting for court decision on true causes of the incident?
There is nothing surprising about this move by the Armenian Apostolic
Church which testifies my above-said statement that it has always
stood at the head of policy of territorial claims to neighboring
states. I say this in order to recall that the world Armenian
community has very serious territorial claims against Georgia, in
particular, to Javakhetiya.
A. Hasanov
URL: http://www.today.az/news/politics/59060.html
From: Baghdasarian