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UNPRECEDENTED VISIT BY AMERICAN-ARMENIAN DELEGATION
Today's Zaman
http://www.todayszaman.com/news-260522-unprecedented-visit-by-american-armenian-delegation.html
Oct 20 2011
Turkey
A delegation of prominent members of the American-Armenian community
will arrive in Turkey on Friday in an unprecedented visit to various
religious sites throughout the country.
The 25-member delegation, which includes influential businessmen and
religious figures from America's 1.2 million strong Armenian community,
will embark on a six-day tour of key religious sites in İstanbul,
Diyarbakir and Van. The visit comes after the completion of restoration
work on the 15th-century Surp Giragos Church in Diyarbakir province,
one of the largest churches in the Middle East and a historic center
of Turkey's once thriving Armenian population.
Archbishop Khajag Barsamian and other high level members of the
American-Armenian diocese will participate in the church's reopening
which is slated for Oct. 23. The delegation also plans to attend a
ceremony at the recently restored Armenian church on Akdamar Island
in the province of Van.
The visit is a sign of increasing good will between Turkey's ruling
government and minority religious communities, said Oscar Tatosian,
chairman of the Diocesan Council of the Diocese of Armenian Church,
in an interview with the Zaman daily earlier this week. Tatosian, who
told Zaman he was a businessman who has frequently traveled to Turkey
over the past 25 years, remarked that the visit was in the spirit of
"peace, cooperation and economic opportunity."
"As Americans, what is important for us is to develop trade ties
and for Turkey to be a friend to Armenia," he added. Tatosian also
thanked the Turkish government for its warmness and courtesy during
the planning stages of the visit.
Today's Zaman
http://www.todayszaman.com/news-260522-unprecedented-visit-by-american-armenian-delegation.html
Oct 20 2011
Turkey
A delegation of prominent members of the American-Armenian community
will arrive in Turkey on Friday in an unprecedented visit to various
religious sites throughout the country.
The 25-member delegation, which includes influential businessmen and
religious figures from America's 1.2 million strong Armenian community,
will embark on a six-day tour of key religious sites in İstanbul,
Diyarbakir and Van. The visit comes after the completion of restoration
work on the 15th-century Surp Giragos Church in Diyarbakir province,
one of the largest churches in the Middle East and a historic center
of Turkey's once thriving Armenian population.
Archbishop Khajag Barsamian and other high level members of the
American-Armenian diocese will participate in the church's reopening
which is slated for Oct. 23. The delegation also plans to attend a
ceremony at the recently restored Armenian church on Akdamar Island
in the province of Van.
The visit is a sign of increasing good will between Turkey's ruling
government and minority religious communities, said Oscar Tatosian,
chairman of the Diocesan Council of the Diocese of Armenian Church,
in an interview with the Zaman daily earlier this week. Tatosian, who
told Zaman he was a businessman who has frequently traveled to Turkey
over the past 25 years, remarked that the visit was in the spirit of
"peace, cooperation and economic opportunity."
"As Americans, what is important for us is to develop trade ties
and for Turkey to be a friend to Armenia," he added. Tatosian also
thanked the Turkish government for its warmness and courtesy during
the planning stages of the visit.