Monday, 21 February 2022
Deputy PM Hambardzum Matevosyan receives Apostolic Nuncio of the Holy See to Armenia Jose Avelino Bettencourt
Today, Deputy Prime Minister Hambardzum Matevosyan received the Apostolic Nuncio of the Holy See to Armenia Archbishop Jose Avelino Bettencourt.
The Deputy Prime Minister welcomed the Archbishop and reaffirmed Armenia's interest and commitment to further deepen interstate relations with the Holy See.
Highly appreciating the decision of the Holy See to open an Apostolic Nunciature in Yerevan in 2021, Hambardzum Matevosyan stressed that it proves the importance given to the Armenia-Holy See interstate relations and the developments taking place in our region.
Archbishop Jose Avelino Bettencourt congratulated on the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Republic of Armenia and the Holy See and stressed that the 30-year partnership is based on 2000 years of friendly relations.
During the conversation, the Deputy Prime Minister praised the public statements made by Pope Francis during the 44-day war against Artsakh, followed by the calls for the immediate release of prisoners of war and provision of humanitarian aid and asked Pope Francis to continues to mention in his prayers and messages the issue of the return of Armenian prisoners of war and civilian detainees to their homeland as soon as possible.
During the meeting, among other issues, reference was made to the opportunities and importance of the Holy See's involvement in the protection, preservation and restoration of Armenian religious and historical-cultural monuments in the regions that passed under the control of Azerbaijan after the 44-day war.
