29 03 2007 - Co-ordination Council of Armenian Organisations of France (CCAF) refuses to take part in inauguration of Aghtamar Church...

Jean Eckian www.inhomage.com
Paris, March 28, 2007
Co-ordination Council of Armenian Organisations of France (CCAF) refuses to take part in inauguration of Aghtamar Church In a letter adressed on March 26, 2007 to the governor of Van, chairman of the CCAF, Alexis Govciyan declined the invitation to go to Van for
inauguration of Sourp Khatch. He justifies his refusal "after an attentive examination" by the fact that Church Holy Aghtamar Cross "belongs to the Armenian heritage and consequently, is and must remain property of the Armenian Patriarchate of Turkey which notably must be able there to celebrate masses".
Also, Alexis Govciyan points out in his letter, the change of the name of Aghtamar Church by Aktamar, its transformation into a museum without any reference of his belonging to the cultural Armenian heritage, brought CCAF to decline Van's governor invitation.
Jean Eckian
Independent correspondent
Nota: chairman of CCAF had gone to Istanbul to the Hrant Dink's funerals, editor of turkish-armenian weekly magazine Agos, assassinated on January 19, 2007.

V.V