WHO HAS CRIMPED THE ARMENIAN PATRIARCHE?

PanARMENIAN.Net - Mesrop II became the head of the Constantinople diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church after the approval of the Turkish government which for a long time was impeding the elections of Patriarch. Ankara sanctioned it only when the special services made Mesrop Mutafyan depend from them. Now with the help of the Archbishop the Turkish authorities each time deny the facts of using pressure over the ethnical minorities or use him in their struggle against the campaign on international recognition of the 1915 Genocide. Last week it was thanks to the attempts of Archbishop that the Turks managed to avoid serious problems connected with non fulfillment of the commitments undertaken in front of the EU. Leaders of Christian minorities of the country prepared a massage addressed to the leadership of the European Union asking them to oblige the Turkish authorities give up the pressure on national minorities. However, Mesrop II did his best so that the letter did not reach Brussels. Thanks to him the document was sent not to the European Commission but to the Parliament of Turkey and Governmental bodies.

This was not the first time when the Archbishop demonstrates a strange behavior caused by a pressure from Ankara. Once he even protested against the fact that the Vatican was recognizing the Armenian genocide. In November 2000 he not only refused to take part in the meeting between the Catholicos of All Armenian Garegin II and Holy Pontiff Johann Paul II, but also condemned 2 spiritual leaders who adopted a joint communiqué mentioning about the Genocide. Then he lied to the Europeans that there were no problems of ethnical minorities in Turkey.

It would be easier to justify him if in exchange the Turkish party also made some concessions. But it is evident that the official Ankara is not going to soften his discriminating policy towards Armenians. Recently the Turks thanked very strangely the service of Mesrop II who managed to prevent the sending of message of the Christian minorities to the European Union. Few days later the special services prohibited him to make a pastoral visit to the monastery of Akhtamar. This did not remain unnoticed. On October 6th the newly appointed Ambassador of the USA to Ankara suggested the Patriarch to meet and discuss the situation with the rights of the Armenian community. Most probably this was caused by the fact of the visit to Van which did not take place. It is difficult to judge the sincerity of the Patriarch during the conversation with the American Diplomat. Armenia being in tense relationship with Turkey is not able to defend the rights of Turkish citizens of Armenian origins. In these conditions the United States and Europe must not remain indifferent to the fate of the small Armenian community which has survived from the horrific genocide organized by the Turkish government. The Western world has to make Ankara give up the discriminating policy conducted towards the Armenian minority.