Do Not Try to Oppose the Diaspora to Armenia: Aram I to Erdogan

The Catholicos of Great Cilicia, Aram I, addressed Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's interview with the media yesterday.

“Mr. Erdogan, where did these remains come from, inside the borders of the Ottoman Empire, of our martyrs? Our ancestors were slaughtered by your forefathers. Mr. Erdogan, today history testifies, even by Turkish historians, that what happened in 1915 against my ancestors was a genocide, planned and executed on a state scale by your forebears. Mr. Erdogan, do not try to oppose the Diaspora to Armenia. Armenia and the Diaspora are one whole, we are one nation with one demand. Therefore, we must not remain silent. Be alert, people of Armenia.

A new pan-Turkic movement initiated by Turkey and Azerbaijan is beginning to take shape in the Caucasus, and there will be attempts to suffocate Armenia within the framework of this movement. The genocidal neighbors of Armenia will impose conditions on Armenia, conditions that, if not today, will endanger the sovereignty of Armenia, and even the existence of Armenia tomorrow. We reject becoming subservient to others by making unilateral concessions without receiving anything in return. We reject the dangerous approach of accepting imposed situations and emphasize the necessity of defining new strategies and tactics against the new geopolitical realities.

We refuse to accept situations where the accused becomes the judge, the defendant becomes the claimant, and the perpetrator becomes the right holder. We demand justice. In the face of geopolitical interests and the politics of power, we demand the supremacy of international law. We demand the return of the people of Artsakh to their homeland and the reinstatement of their rights under international guarantees. We demand the unconditional release of all prisoners wrongfully detained by Azerbaijan. We demand the recognition of the genocide perpetrated against our people by the Ottoman Empire and restitution of our people's rights,” he stated.

Aram I also sent a message in connection with the anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. He specifically stated: “April 24 is not just a day to commemorate the martyrs, but a call to strengthen our claim more firmly.”