The situation connected with the Constantinople patriarchal elections continues to remain tense. Deputy patriarch, Archbishop Aram Ateşyan doesn’t recognize the authorities of patriarchal locum tenens, Archbishop Karekin Bekçiyan.  

Bekçiyan noted that Ateşyan first refused to meet with him, and left the room twice during the meeting, Istanbul-based Armenian newspaper Agos reports.

“I asked His Eminence Aram how the process will go on and how the authorities will be divided. He said, 'You don't have any authority for now. You are the değabah and you will start working once the process of election begins.' Then, I asked him to write down these conditions to be discussed and solved later,” Bekçiyan said.