Aram I: Armenian Genocide is part of national struggle

PanARMENIAN.Net - His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia, on Monday sent a letter to President Serzh Sargsyan expressing concerns over the Turkey-Armenia protocols and urging the president to engage the entire Armenian nation in this critical pan-national issue.



In his extensive letter, the Catholicos outlines concerns, more vocally about the threats the protocols bring to the veracity of the Armenian Genocide, the Karabakh conflict resolution process and the imperative of addressing this critical issue from pan-national perspective.



Aram I pointed out that the very existence of the Diaspora is a direct result of the Genocide and forced upon the Armenian nation.



"The recognition of and reparations for the Armenian Genocide are part of our national struggle. Thus it is imperative to approach the matter carefully and with the great deal of sensitivity," said the Catholicos in his letter warning that the Genocide issue cannot be part of the negotiation process, as it is a known fact.



"In a set of conditions, Turkey is likely to pressure Armenia. Ankara will pursue to expunge the memory of 1.5 million slaughtered Armenians," said the Catholicos who urged the president and his administration to have a firm position on the Genocide.



The Catholicos also expressed his deep concern about the negative consequences of the protocols on the fragile Karabakh conflict resolution. He urged the president to ensure that the Turkey-Armenia normalization does not adversely impact the Karabakh process.