This week, the Supreme Spiritual Council of the Armenian Church, under the chairmanship of Pope Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of all Armenians, issued a statement from the Mother See of Saint Etchmiadzin, stating that the Armenian Church of April 9 reaffirmed the appeal. The Government of the Republic of Armenia called for avoiding pursuing a “defeatist” foreign policy in negotiations with Azerbaijan.
Both statements come as the Armenian government prepares to withdraw from several villages in the country’s Tavush province (located on Armenia’s northeastern border) before formal negotiations to demarcate territorial boundaries between the two countries are completed. It mentions that. These villages have been under Armenian military control since the early 1990s. If they withdraw, they will effectively surrender these territories to Azerbaijan.
The withdrawal is the subject of intense debate across Armenia. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said unilateral concessions are necessary to prevent Azerbaijan from military aggression against Armenia. Opponents of the policy say the concessions will only encourage Azeris to demand more territory from Armenia.
The Church’s position on the issue took on special urgency this week when Archbishop Bagrat Galstagnyan, Primate of the Tavush Diocese, announced that he would lead a protest march, a 160-mile journey from the village of Kirants to Yerevan. Ta. And the legitimate concerns of Tavush residents will be heard in the republic’s capital. Archbishop Galstagnyan expects the protest marchers to arrive in Yerevan on May 9, but did not provide details about his plans once they arrive.
The Supreme Spiritual Council asserted in a May 7 statement: Demonstrate calmness and self-control. and refrain from illegal activities. Similarly, we expect services responsible for maintaining public order to function strictly within their legally established roles. ”
The Diocese of the East fully supports the position of the Mother See of Saint Etchmiadzin and its efforts to promote a peaceful solution with an eye to justice and the true security of the homeland for faithful Armenians.
The same spirit was strongly expressed by the delegates of the recent 122nd Parish Council in their polite responses to Pope Karekin II’s message. We are deeply concerned about events in Artsakh, Tavush and other regions. There, the Armenian people, our church, and civilization are threatened by ongoing genocidal activities. We support the heroic role that our Church continues to play during this difficult time. We thank you for your leadership and express our strong support for our Church’s role in defending our traditions and our people from the onslaught of forces outside the Armenian Christian faith. I think that I want to do it. We remain committed to our role in supporting and defending the rights of Armenians around the world. ”
We pray that our merciful Lord Jesus will lead all of our people through the current difficult times and bring lasting peace, justice and security to our homeland.
While praying,
Bishop Mesrop Parsamyan
Primate of the Eastern Diocese of the Armenian Church
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