ANTELIAS, Lebanon - On Tuesday, 26th April 2012, His Holiness Aram I visited the President of Lebanon, General Suleiman. The Catholicos was accompanied b Archbishop Keghan Katcherian, Prelate of Lebanon, current ministers, General Panos Manjian, Mr Vrej Sabounjian and the representative of the Armenian parliamentarians, Mr Hagop Pakradouni. His Holiness thanked the president for his efforts to strengthen the unity in the country and expressed his appreciation of the president’s efforts to strengthen ties between Lebanon and its diaspora through his official visits. He then stated his concern about the growing presence and influence of Turkey in the region. The Catholicos informed the president that he will soon be visiting the Armenian communities in the United Arab Emirates and the Islamic Republic of Iran. President General Suleiman praised His Holiness Aram I for his international efforts, which, he stated, also strengthen the national unity of the country; he also expressed his appreciation of the Armenian community’s contribution to their Lebanese homeland. Finally, they discussed the new electoral law that is currently under study. The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates of the Armenian Orthodox Church. Its jurisdiction extends over the Armenian Communities in the Middle East, Europe and North and South America. The Catholicosate, the administrative center of the church is located in Antelias, Lebanon. /// Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia - Communication and Information Department.

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