On Thursday 24 January 2013, upon receiving the news of the election of Archbishop Nourhan as successor to the late Patriarch Torkom, Catholicos Aram I congratulated the Patriarch personally, and said, “The close relations we have enjoyed with the Patriarchate of Jerusalem should now be strengthened.” The Catholicos then added, “We should strengthen cooperation between the two Catholicosates, Etchmiadzin and Cilicia, with the two Patriarchates, Jerusalem and Constantinople. In this way, our people will also strengthen their cooperation and work together.”