OFFICIAL VISIT TO VAN

The Chairman of the Religious Council, Archbishop Aram Atesyan left for Van on Saturday morning, 19 June 2010, for an official visit.

At a meal held in the Bogazici Restaurant, Archbishop Aram gathered with the Government Minister and Chief Spokesperson, Egeman Bagis, and his wife; the Governor of Van, Munir Karaloglu; Ambassador Volkan Bozkir; the Mayor of Van; and consuls and official representatives of various European Union countries. Speaking at the dinner, Egeman Bagis touched on several topics, plus the service to be held on Ahtamar Island. He said, "The opening of the Holy Cross Church on Ahtamar is not the result of external pressure or will; it was necessary to open it, and it was opened. We wanted a representative from the Armenian Patriarchate of Turkey to be present in our visit on this occasion, together with the consuls of European countries, but Archbishop Aram Atesyan came himself instead of sending a representative, which has delighted us."

After the meal the visitors watched an off-shore race held on Lake Van.

Everyone then went to Gevas and then by motorboat to the Island. Here Archbishop Aram gave detailed information to Minister Bagis and to the visitors.

Towards evening the vistors were accommodated by the Governor of Van in the Police Guest House in Van. Here Minister Bagis announced that because of the loss of the lives of 15 soldiers in a terrorist attack in Hakkari, the concert which was to be held in the Van castle was cancelled.

On Sunday morning, 20 June 2010, Prime Minister Erdogan and Chief of the Armed Forces General Basbug visited Van to attend the funerals of those who had fallen. Archbishop Atesyan told Minister Bagis that he wanted to attend the funeral prayers himself but because of his duties had to return to Istanbul.

Archbishop Aram returned to Istanbul the same morning.