ARMENIAN CATHOLICOS LETTER TO PRESIDENT OBAMA

UNCLAS YEREVAN 000882

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OPDC KIRF GG AM
SUBJECT: ARMENIAN CATHOLICOS LETTER TO PRESIDENT OBAMA
CONCERNING RELIGIOUS MINORITIES IN GEORGIA


1. The Ambassador received a letter from His Holiness,
Karekin II, Catholicos of the Armenian Apostolic Church
addressed to President Obama regarding the outstanding issues
concerning ethnic and religious minorities in the Republic of
Georgia. Text of the letter follows below. The Ambassador
will hand carry the original to the desk.


2. BEGIN TEXT:

Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin
December 7, 2009

The Honorable BARACK OBAMA
President of the United States of America
Washington

Dear Mr. President,

We greet you from the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin and
extend our best wishes, warm salutations and pontifical
blessings. We regret, however, that we must write to bring
to your high attention the unacceptable situation regarding
the status of religious minorities in the Republic of Georgia.

As head of the Armenian Church, our unfortunate experience
over the past two decades leads us to conclude that nothing
in the religious sphere within Georgia has changed for the
better since the collapse of the Soviet Union. On the
contrary, religious life in the Republic of Georgia today
"except within the Georgian Orthodox Church" is more
restricted, repressed and intolerant for ethnic and religious
minorities.

After numerous years of effort and countless unsuccessful
attempts to work with the Georgian government and the
Georgian Orthodox Church to regulate the Armenian Church
diocese and communities in Georgia, we are forced to formally
bring to your attention the unresolved issues regarding: 1)
the lack of legal status for religious minorities in Georgia;
and 2) the Georgian government,s refusal to return church
buildings and church properties. We require your decisive
assistance to compel the Georgian authorities to live up to
their international obligations, among which are the
fostering of an environment where all Christian churches, as
well as religious organizations of other faiths, can operate
normally and have their human rights respected and protected.


The most recent example of the Georgian government,s
indifference and wanton neglect resulted in the collapse two
weeks ago of the historic St. Gevork of Mughni Armenian
Church (built in 1356) in Tbilisi, Georgia; which is the
second church we have lost in this manner. This has caused
great indignation among our people and Church.

We are hopeful that your government will implement the
necessary steps to positively affect this unacceptable
situation. Offering our blessings and appreciation to you,
we ask our Lord to keep and protect you, granting you health
and success in your high and responsible office.

With Blessings,

Karekin II
Supreme Patriarch
Catholicos of All Armenians

END TEXT.
PENNINGTON