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DON'T ATTEND SURB KHACH MASS, URGES PUBLIC COUNCIL
Tert.am
09:46 10.08.10
After long deliberations Armenia's Public Council reached a decision
on Monday and called on all Armenians not to attend a mass to be
served this autumn in Surb Khach (Saint Cross) church on Akhtamar
Island located in Lake Van, Eastern Turkey.
"We think that participating in this event organized by the Turkish
authorities in Surb Khach church is about our national dignity,
therefore we are calling on Armenians not to take part in it," Jasmen
Asryan, member of the Public Council, told Tert.am.
The move comes after Romik Hovnanyan, President of Van-Vaspurakan
patriotic union, sent a letter to the Council, calling on Armenians
not to attend the mass to be served on September 19.
Surb Khach has been closed for almost a century, and many Armenians
say that by opening it for one-off mass ceremony Turkey attempts to
use Armenians for pursuing its objectives: to show the world that it
is in good terms with Armenians and that it pays due attention to
minorities in Turkey, also to improve its image in the eyes of the
international community on its way towards EU membership.
From: A. Papazian
Tert.am
09:46 10.08.10
After long deliberations Armenia's Public Council reached a decision
on Monday and called on all Armenians not to attend a mass to be
served this autumn in Surb Khach (Saint Cross) church on Akhtamar
Island located in Lake Van, Eastern Turkey.
"We think that participating in this event organized by the Turkish
authorities in Surb Khach church is about our national dignity,
therefore we are calling on Armenians not to take part in it," Jasmen
Asryan, member of the Public Council, told Tert.am.
The move comes after Romik Hovnanyan, President of Van-Vaspurakan
patriotic union, sent a letter to the Council, calling on Armenians
not to attend the mass to be served on September 19.
Surb Khach has been closed for almost a century, and many Armenians
say that by opening it for one-off mass ceremony Turkey attempts to
use Armenians for pursuing its objectives: to show the world that it
is in good terms with Armenians and that it pays due attention to
minorities in Turkey, also to improve its image in the eyes of the
international community on its way towards EU membership.
From: A. Papazian