YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 8, ARMENPRESS. Turkey’s  Minister of Interior Süleyman Soylu held a meeting on February 7 with representatives of the Armenian community to listen to their demands regarding the patriarchal election at Istanbul’s Armenian Patriarchate.

The Istanbul-based Agos newspaper said that Istanbul governor Vasip Shahin was also present at the meeting.

In his opening remarks the minister addressed the situation which Turkey is currently in – highlighting the necessity of democracy.  

Representatives of the Armenian community delivered speeches after the minister, with attorney Sebouh Aslangil being the first.

Aslangil addressed the minister, thanking for the emphasis of the need of democracy.

Speaking on the ministry’s letter to the patriarchate, Aslangil, as an attorney, stressed that it is a negligently written document, which is an unfortunate fact. He mentioned that Archbishop Aram Ateshyan, who was appointed to serve as patriarchal vicar by the spiritual assembly, has stopped serving in the position by the decision of the same council.

The attorney stressed that all actions were in accordance to church rules, whereas the ministry’s letter once again imposes Ateshyan as a vicar.

Other representatives of the community delivered remarks, saying that the elections must take place immediately.

The interior minister mentioned that Turkey is acting under the law and it is his duty to achnoledge the patriarchal vicar.

“I am aware of your concerns, I will take into account”, he said, adding that he will hold meetings with Prime Minister Binali Yildirimn and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan afterwards.

“We must meet again in about a month”, he said.

Istanbul Governor’s Office eventually responded to the letter of the Armenian side sent months before in regards to the election of the Armenian Patriarch, stating that it doesn’t recognize Archbishop Garegin Bekchyan as a patriarchal locum tenens, Agos reports.

In the letter, which was signed by Istanbul deputy governor Ismail Gultekin, it is stated that Istanbul’s Armenian Patriarch Mesrop Mutafian is still alive and therefore there are no necessary conditions for electing a new patriarch.

The Istanbul Governor’s Office said health problems are not enough to declare the patriarchal position as vacant, thus, Archbishop Aram Atesyan continues his post of the patriarchal vicar, and all processes on Bekchian’s being elected as patriarchal locum tenens are declared invalid.

In the letter it is stated that all decisions adopted by Archbishop Bekchyan are also considered as invalid.