The Catholicos of All Armenians Received the WCC Delegation
19.09.2023
On September 18, in the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians; received the Delegation led by the General Secretary of the World Council of Churches (WCC) Dr. Jerry Pillay, accompanied by the Deputy Chairman of the Central Committee of the Council of Europe His Eminence Archbishop Vigen Aikazian.
His Holiness, welcoming the members of the delegation, expressed his appreciation and expressed gratitude to the WCC for the efforts aimed at protecting the rights of Artsakh Armenians, unblocking the Lachin Corridor and providing humanitarian aid to Artsakh.
Referring to the current challenges in the region, Azerbaijan's ongoing encroachments towards Armenia and Artsakh, the humanitarian disaster created in Artsakh, His Holiness noted that the inadequate response of the international community, as well as ignoring the verdicts and calls issued by international courts leaves it without consequences gives rise to the unhindered implementation of similar reprehensible policies of Azerbaijan.
During the conversation, the Armenian Patriarch also spoke about the facts of the destruction and usurpation of the Armenian spiritual and cultural heritage in the territories passed under the control of Azerbaijan.
At the meeting, His Holiness noted the active support of the international community in the process of the early return of the Armenian captives of war held in Azerbaijan, and the discovery of the remains of the missing and dead.
In turn, Dr. Jerry Pillay emphasized that the delegation's visit to Armenia is aimed, apparently, at getting to know the situation in the region, expressing readiness to contribute to the peaceful settlement of the Artsakh issue.
In response to the question of the General Secretary of the WCC, the Armenian Patriarch also provided information on the efforts of the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church aimed at re-establishing peace in the region and the results of the tripartite meetings of the spiritual leaders of the region.
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