Bourj Hamoud, Lebanon
On behalf of His Beatitude Nerses Bedros XIX Catholicos Patriarch of Cilicia for Armenian Catholics, His Excellency msgr. Vartan Ashkarian participated in the gathering organized by the Armenian Revolutionary Federation on the 29th of March at 4:00 pm in “Hagop Der_Melkonian theater”, during which the Central Committee of the ARF officially announced the names of its candidates.
Also present was father Vartan Kazandjian the parish priest of Annunciation church, Der Garabed Tateossian, prelate of the Armenian Diocese Bishop Kegham Khacherian, Rev. Soghomon Kilaghbian representating the Armenian Evangelical community in Lebanon, previous ministers and MPs, Gario Jeghelian representing the Armenian General Benevolent Union, school principals and a number of journalists.
According to the names of the candidates proposed by the ARF, the Armenian Catholic community will be represented in the 2009 parliamentary elections by the present principal of Mesrobian High School, Mr. Gregoire Kaloust.