On November 14, RA Minister of Diaspora Hranush Hakobyan received Primate of the Diocese of the Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia of Venezuela, Archbishop Gomidas Ohanian; Primate of the Diocese of the Armenian Holy Apostolic Church of Iraq, Archbishop Avak Asadourian and Iraqi-Armenian community figure Baruyr Hagopian.

Greeting the primates, the RA Minister of Diaspora valued the order of canonization of the martyrs of the Armenian Genocide and issues related to canonization discussed during the Episcopal Conference of the Armenian Apostolic Church.

The canonization of the martyrs of the Armenian Genocide will be conducted at the Mother See on April 23, 2015.

During the meeting, the sides talked about the joint events that will be held in Armenia and in the Diaspora ahead of the Centennial of the Armenian Genocide.

The primates mentioned that the participants of the Episcopal Conference have disseminated a statement in which they call on the international community “to continue with determination to recognize and condemn the first genocide perpetrated against the Armenian people in the 20^th century”. The participants also call on the Republic of Turkey to recognize the Armenian Genocide and reestablish the just rights of the Armenian people.