Patriarch Mesrob II: I do not agree with Karekin II's comments on genocide
Güncelleme Tarihi:
Patriach Mesrob II, the leader of the Armenian Orthodox community in Turkey, has commented on his differing views from those expressed last week by Catholicos Karekin II, the world leader of the Armenian Orthodox Church, who was in Istanbul last week for a visit.
Karekin, who came to Istanbul as the guest of Greek Fener Patriarch Bartholomeus and as well as of Patriarch Mesrob II, held a press conference at the Armenian Patriarchate on Sunday during which he called on Turkey to officially recognize the events of 1915 as a genocide against the Armenians. Mesrob II had subsequently commented to the press that his perspective on the matter differs from that of Karekin II's, and that the Turkish-Armenian relationship is not soley based on incidents which took place between 1890-1923.
Responding to reporters' questions about what he thought of Karekin II's statements about genocide, Mesrob II said: "How can I comment on those statements? I guess I could say 'They were as I expected they would be.' At the press conference at which Katekin II spoke, TV cameras from the Armenian station Shoagat were present. All of the diaspora watches Shoagat TV. So Karekin knew the public he was addressing with his comments. I think differently on the matter, as I have said many times in the past. The disaster of 1915 should be examined on separate platforms by politcians, historians, diplomats, and sociologists. This would be very helpful in terms of creating empathy and understanding, rather than enmity."