Catholicos Aram I meets Cyprus Foreign Minister

PanARMENIAN.Net - Foreign Minister of Cyprus met with Catholicos of the Holy See of Cilicia, His Holiness Aram I in the presence of Dr. Bedros Karajerjian and Mr. Dekran Jimbashian, President and Secretary respectively of the Executive Council of the Catholicosate, Minister Panos Manjian, Archbishop Varoujan Hergelian, Catholicosal Vicar in Cyprus, Mr. Parsegh Zartarian, Representative of the Executive Council of the Diocese of the Cypriot and Archbishop Komitas Ohanian.

The Ambassador of Cyprus to Lebanon, Homer Mavromatis, and five staff members of the Foreign Ministry accompanied Erato Kozakou-Marcoullis.

During the meeting, which lasted more than an hour, Catholicos Aram I first welcomed the guests and then expressed his appreciation for the cooperation between the Republics of Cyprus and Lebanon. He then spoke of the long relations between the Armenians and Greeks, particularly during the Kingdom of Cilicia and the long-standing ecumenical relations between the two churches. He emphasized the urgency of cooperating and reinforcing relations in view of the common agenda regarding Turkey.

His Holiness then informed the Foreign Minister of the recent international conference of experts held in Antelias to discuss the Armenian Genocide.

He concluded: “Turkey’s occupation of Cyprus and confiscation of religious and cultural monuments is a new form of genocide against the people of Cyprus and our people.”

In her response, Minister Kozakou-Marcoullis expressed her government’s appreciation of the contribution of the Armenian community in the development of Cyprus. The Foreign Minister also informed the Catholicos that she planned to visit Armenia in early April. She concluded by emphasizing the need to continue strong cooperation in order to counter Turkey’s negationist policy and to continue to work for justice and human rights.

Before leaving the Catholicosate, the Foreign Minister asked to visit the Martyr’s Chapel and pay tribute to the memory of the victims of the Armenian Genocide.