Catholicos Aram I declines Turkish channel's interview offer

Catholicos of the Holy See of Cilicia Aram I has refused to give an interview to the Turkish television.

According to the Russian news agency Regnum, the reason behind his move was the Turkish channel’s intention to ask him, among other things, a question about the Armenian Cause.

The Catholicos said that the issue as such does not exist for the Armenian people.

“The Armenian Genocide is a historical fact and is not subject to debates, negotiations or dialogues in question. Turkey must recognize the 1915 Genocide against Armenians,” the patriarch said.

The catholicos further stressed the importance of giving Armenians compensations for the losses and damages they suffered.

“You ought to know that thousands of churches, monasteries, religious, cultural and social institutions and public centers (let alone the movable or immovable property) were confiscated by the Turkish Government. The return of that property to their lawful owners is the legitimate right of the Armenians. By ignoring the Armenian people and aggressively counteracting the human rights initiatives, Turkey will not be able to contribute to a consensus between our nations,” he was quoted as saying.