ANTELIAS-During the past two days His Holiness Catholicos Aram I has continued personal meetings and phone conversations in pursuing the advancement of humanitarian assistance for Iraq’s Armenian population. As Asbarez reported earlier–the center to provide interfaith humanitarian assistance will be Amman–Jordan–in accordance with the activities of the United Nations and other international organizations.
Middle East Council of Churches representative Edward Esho will be heading humanitarian assistance efforts in Baghdad (Tel: 00964 1 7619357–Fax: 00964 1 7196029).
All those in need in Baghdad should be in touch with that center.
His Holiness has made necessary arrangemen’s with Edward Esho so that he is in constant touch with the Armenian Prelacy in Baghdad–and if necessary–to provide support to the Armenian population by all means possible.
Similar centers have begun to operate in Lebanon–Jordan and Syria. The Catholicosate information office may also be contacted for assistance– if necessary.
Aram I has had ongoing communications with the Armenian religious leaders of Iran–Kuwait and other Persian Gulf countries in an effort to assist the Armenian refugees of Iraq that may be arriving there–and generally to gain a picture of how the communities there are doing.
Archbishop Souren Kataroian of the Diocese of Damascus informed the Catholicos that the local prelacy has set up a committee to support the influx of Iraqi Armenian refugees arriving in Aleppo.