Azg Daily, Armenia
Jan 20 2005
ARMENIAN PATRIARCH OF TURKEY SUES AGBU
The Zhamanak (Time) daily of Istanbul published an article on January
18 informing that the Armenian Patriarch of Turkey, archbishop Mesrob
Mutafian, applied to the Californian court to bring an action against
the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU). The Patriarch assumes
that the AGBU has violated a paragraph of Melgonian's testament
signed in 1926 saying that the Armenian Patriarchy of Constantinople
should receive 1000 English coins from the AGBU.
The Patriarch reminds in the article that the Melgonian brothers, who
handed all their wealth down to the Armenian nation and who founded a
number of important establishments, guaranteed the future of these
national establishments. The Patriarch thinks that the Central
Administration of the AGBU appeared to be very shortsighted if it
wants to sell the Melgonian Educational Institute (MEI). The
trilateral agreement signed in 1926 by the Patriarchy the AGBU and
Karapet Melgonian, one of the brothers, handed the will over to the
AGBU. Following this document, the AGBU has been successfully
sponsoring the MEI for years now. The constructive usage of the
testament was questioned last year when the Central Administration of
the AGBU decided to close the MEI. The prudent circles of the
Armenian Diaspora tried to shield AGBU's activity from all-out
criticism and concentrated on the issue of MEI. But the AGBU remained
inflexible. In the created situation the Melgonians' will appeared in
the spotlight. Those opposing to the closure of the MEI were fairly
fingering that the AGBU has no right to take such a decision. AGBU is
not the owner of the MEI but it was only sponsoring the institute as
the heir of the will.
Besides, the Patriarch reminds that the will supposes that the AGBU
distributes 3000 golden English coins (at the price of the date the
document was signed) to the Yerevan State University, and 1000 golden
English coins to the Armenian Patriarchies of Jerusalem and Istanbul.
He notes that the Patriarchy of Istanbul did not receive anything
during these 79 years.
Apparently, the last fact was the reason why Patriarch Mesrob
Mutafian instituted the lawsuit. But it is uncertain if the lawsuit
will include the MEI case or not.
Extract from daily Zhamanak, Istanbul
Jan 20 2005
ARMENIAN PATRIARCH OF TURKEY SUES AGBU
The Zhamanak (Time) daily of Istanbul published an article on January
18 informing that the Armenian Patriarch of Turkey, archbishop Mesrob
Mutafian, applied to the Californian court to bring an action against
the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU). The Patriarch assumes
that the AGBU has violated a paragraph of Melgonian's testament
signed in 1926 saying that the Armenian Patriarchy of Constantinople
should receive 1000 English coins from the AGBU.
The Patriarch reminds in the article that the Melgonian brothers, who
handed all their wealth down to the Armenian nation and who founded a
number of important establishments, guaranteed the future of these
national establishments. The Patriarch thinks that the Central
Administration of the AGBU appeared to be very shortsighted if it
wants to sell the Melgonian Educational Institute (MEI). The
trilateral agreement signed in 1926 by the Patriarchy the AGBU and
Karapet Melgonian, one of the brothers, handed the will over to the
AGBU. Following this document, the AGBU has been successfully
sponsoring the MEI for years now. The constructive usage of the
testament was questioned last year when the Central Administration of
the AGBU decided to close the MEI. The prudent circles of the
Armenian Diaspora tried to shield AGBU's activity from all-out
criticism and concentrated on the issue of MEI. But the AGBU remained
inflexible. In the created situation the Melgonians' will appeared in
the spotlight. Those opposing to the closure of the MEI were fairly
fingering that the AGBU has no right to take such a decision. AGBU is
not the owner of the MEI but it was only sponsoring the institute as
the heir of the will.
Besides, the Patriarch reminds that the will supposes that the AGBU
distributes 3000 golden English coins (at the price of the date the
document was signed) to the Yerevan State University, and 1000 golden
English coins to the Armenian Patriarchies of Jerusalem and Istanbul.
He notes that the Patriarchy of Istanbul did not receive anything
during these 79 years.
Apparently, the last fact was the reason why Patriarch Mesrob
Mutafian instituted the lawsuit. But it is uncertain if the lawsuit
will include the MEI case or not.
Extract from daily Zhamanak, Istanbul