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Anadolu Agency, Turkey
May 1 2014
Armenian archbishop in Turkey promotes better relations
01 May 2014 17:12 (Last updated 01 May 2014 17:14)
Archbishop Aram Ateshian calls for peace and friendship between Turks
and Armenians as he meets with Turkey's prime minister and foreign
minister.
ANKARA
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan received Archbishop Aram Ateshian,
vicar general of the Armenian Patriarchate of Istanbul, at the prime
ministry office Thursday.
Ateshian spoke to reporters following the meeting and said that for
first time a Turkish prime minister shared the sorrow of Armenians by
expressing his condolences to the Armenian community on the
anniversary of the 1915 incidents in the Ottoman Empire on April 24.
Erdogan extended an olive branch, which is a symbol of peace and one
which Armenians cannot ignore, said the Archbishop, adding, "We don't
want this branch to fade. Turkish and Armenian societies lived in
peace for centuries and we miss those days."
The archbishop also called upon the two Turks and Armenians to lay a
foundation for a bridge of friendship and peace.
On April 23, Erdogan said, "Regardless of their ethnic or religious
origins, we pay tribute with compassion and respect to all Ottoman
citizens who lost their lives in the events of 1915."
Later Ateshian met with Turkey's Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu
where the two discussed "improving Armenian-Turkish relations and
initiating dialogues between Turks and Armenians around the world," as
well as Erdogan's April 23 statement marking the 99th anniversary of
the 1915 Armenian-Turkish conflict.
The Turkish foreign minister also stated that around 30 Armenians fled
to Turkey from Syria to take refuge during Assad's forces' attack on
Kasab in northern Syria near the Turkish border.
"I personally called an Armenian in Latakia whose father fled to
Turkey, but unfortunately he died April 23. I said we are ready to
help him for all of his needs."
Davutoglu also mentioned the many comments from foreign
representatives he had received in response to Erdogan's statement.
"About 65 percent of the comments on our prime minister's statements
were in a positive manner. Twenty percent of the reactions were
objective and nearly twenty percent were negative," he said. "You
can't change a deep-rooted perception with a single message, but we
got very good reactions from Armenian communities around the world."
Turkey's chief Muslim cleric Mehmet Gormez was also present at the meeting.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
May 1 2014
Armenian archbishop in Turkey promotes better relations
01 May 2014 17:12 (Last updated 01 May 2014 17:14)
Archbishop Aram Ateshian calls for peace and friendship between Turks
and Armenians as he meets with Turkey's prime minister and foreign
minister.
ANKARA
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan received Archbishop Aram Ateshian,
vicar general of the Armenian Patriarchate of Istanbul, at the prime
ministry office Thursday.
Ateshian spoke to reporters following the meeting and said that for
first time a Turkish prime minister shared the sorrow of Armenians by
expressing his condolences to the Armenian community on the
anniversary of the 1915 incidents in the Ottoman Empire on April 24.
Erdogan extended an olive branch, which is a symbol of peace and one
which Armenians cannot ignore, said the Archbishop, adding, "We don't
want this branch to fade. Turkish and Armenian societies lived in
peace for centuries and we miss those days."
The archbishop also called upon the two Turks and Armenians to lay a
foundation for a bridge of friendship and peace.
On April 23, Erdogan said, "Regardless of their ethnic or religious
origins, we pay tribute with compassion and respect to all Ottoman
citizens who lost their lives in the events of 1915."
Later Ateshian met with Turkey's Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu
where the two discussed "improving Armenian-Turkish relations and
initiating dialogues between Turks and Armenians around the world," as
well as Erdogan's April 23 statement marking the 99th anniversary of
the 1915 Armenian-Turkish conflict.
The Turkish foreign minister also stated that around 30 Armenians fled
to Turkey from Syria to take refuge during Assad's forces' attack on
Kasab in northern Syria near the Turkish border.
"I personally called an Armenian in Latakia whose father fled to
Turkey, but unfortunately he died April 23. I said we are ready to
help him for all of his needs."
Davutoglu also mentioned the many comments from foreign
representatives he had received in response to Erdogan's statement.
"About 65 percent of the comments on our prime minister's statements
were in a positive manner. Twenty percent of the reactions were
objective and nearly twenty percent were negative," he said. "You
can't change a deep-rooted perception with a single message, but we
got very good reactions from Armenian communities around the world."
Turkey's chief Muslim cleric Mehmet Gormez was also present at the meeting.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress