Catholicos Aram I to Apply to Turkey’s Highest Court

Catholicos Aram I to Apply to Turkey’s Highest Court –

ATHENS (Armenpress)—The Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia of the Armenian Apostolic Church intends to officially apply to the Constitutional Court of Turkey in October regarding a legal claim for the return of the residences and estates of Sis, located in the territory of the historical Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia. Aram I explained his plans in an interview with the Greek-Armenian community’s periodical, Azad Or, during a working visit to Athens.

Aram I explained that in the case that Turkey’s Constitutional Court does not approve the claim, the Holy See of Cilicia will appeal to the European Court of Human Rights. “We will not wait for positive approaches by Turkey and are ready to go to the end and apply to the ECHR,” the Catholicos said.

“This certainly does not mean that efforts on the international recognition of the Armenian Genocide will be abandoned, but recognition should provide for compensation. If we do not make this step, we will soon appear in quite a closed circle. Recognition – what next? What will happen after that? It is necessary that Hay Tad comes out of this closed circle,” said Aram I.

“The Catholicosate of Cilicia, which is situated in Sis, the capital city of historical Cilicia, has a symbolic significance for Cilicia and all Armenians,” Aram I said.

In his address Aram I also referred to the issue of international recognition of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic, underscoring that it must be a core issue for Armenians. “Nagorno Karabakh’s security is very important for us. We should do everything possible to maintain security in Karabakh and to establish sustainable peace. Karabakh’s independence is also Armenia’s independence,” said the Catholicos.