The
events dedicated to the centennial anniversary of the Armenian Genocide should
be held at a high level so that they can make the international community hear
Armenians' voice, Aram I, Head of the Catholicosate of the Great House of
Cilicia, said at V Armenia-Diaspora Forum.
He stressed that the issue of the Armenian Genocide
should be tackled at the legal level. "Our goal should be not only
recognition and condemnation of the Genocide, but also compensation for its
consequences. Our vocabulary should
have the terms "recognize", "condemn" and
"compensate", said Aram I. He emphasized that Turkey must realize
that it cannot violate an entire nation's right with impunity.
Aram I believes that the centennial anniversary of the
Armenian Genocide should mark the beginning of a new stage of international
recognition of the Genocide, as well as its recognition and compensation by
Turkey.
He added that the Armenian Church will be taking
consistent steps in the matter of retrieving Armenians' church property in
Turkey. "We will apply to international legal structures, but Armenia, as
a state, should support us", he said.
He also expressed his concern over the gradual
destruction of Armenian communities in Syria, Iraq and Ukraine and stressed the
need to provide every possible help to the Armenian communities in these
countries.
For his part, Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II
stressed the importance to strengthen the Armenia- Diaspora-Artsakh relations
even more to achieve the important goals for the Armenians worldwide. One of
the priority goals is to gain recognition of the Armenian Genocide in Ottoman
Turkey, he said.