Liana Yeghiazaryan
“Radiolur”
06.09.2010 17:06
A number of Armenian intellectuals from the History Institute of the
Armenian National Academy of sciences have issued a statement today,
according to which Turkey will demand an expensive reimbursement from
the Armenian side in exchange for the conduct of the liturgy at the
St. Cross Church of Akhtamar. Director of the History Institute Ashot
Melkonyan is confident that there only one way out of this slippery
situation – we should not support the Turkish show by visiting Akhtamar
on that day.
The Turkish side is trying to present the demonstration of the cross
to the public and the conduct of the liturgy at St. Cross Church as
an expression of goodwill towards Armenia and the Armenian people. The
Turkish side also wishes to involve 5-6 thousand people in the event.
Rumors say the Armenian-Turkish border is going to be opened for
three days. Armenian historians are assured, however, that Turkish
thus wants to reach certain objectives, which are anti-Armenian.
“We have no desire to participate in the recurrent Turkish show. This
is true mockery. It would take half an hour to install the cross
on the dome. I think there can be no second opinion here,” said
Ashot Melkonyan, adding that “we are the masters of our Akhtamar
and we will have a lot of opportunists to conduct liturgies there,
and we should not do it under the Turkish flag waving and the face
of Mustafa Kemal there.”
Director of the Oriental Studies Institute Ruben Safrastyan says the
show organized by Turkey is a simple deceit. According to him, the
decision of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin to boycott the mass
at St. Cross has made many citizens refuse from the idea of leaving
for Van.
“I think the majority of Armenians say ‘no’ to this show. We should
understand that the Shariat prohibits renovating a Christian Church
and installing a cross on it. Besides, the political situation in
Turkey should be taken account of. 75% of the Turkish citizens are
active Muslims, and the government will not go against them. Actually,
they are deceiving,” he said.
Armenian historians are confident that e Tukrey is doung that step
to resist the anti-Turkish wave expected to raise on the occasion
of the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. According to the
statement, Turkey had to do this under the Lausanne Treaty of 1923.
The statements calls on every Armenian, who respects his national and
religious dignity, to refrain from visiting Akhtamar on that day to
avoid becoming a tool in the hands of the foreigners in this dirty
and anti-Armenian game.