Azad-Hye, 27 July 2006, Dubai: Since 12 July 2006 the Middle East
crisis entered a new and very violent stage, especially with the
direct confrontation between the Israeli Army and the Lebanese
resistance forces (Hezbollah). Analysts now predict that the fighting
will continue longer than expected, probably 2-3 months.
Being poart of the local population, the Armenians in the Middle East
have always suffered from the ongoing political turmoils, even though
they have tried to maintain impartial position in the unfolding
quarrels.
Karen Grigorian, the Charge d’Affaires of the Embassy of Armenia in
Damascus (Syria) provided us with additional information about how the
Armenians are dealing with the latest crisis in Lebanon.
According to Grigorian, some 1200 Armenian citizens were in Lebanon
when the fighting exploded, majority of them spouses of Lebanese-
Armenians and tradsmen, including also a limited number of tourists
and visitors.
Soon after the first days of the devastated bombings of Lebanon, the
two Armenian Embassies (Beirut and Damascus) and the Armenian General
Consulate in Aleppo (second city of Syria with large Armenian
pupulation) coordinated their efforts and managed, up to this point,
to evacuate 300 citizens in a highly efficient way.
Caravan of buses headed from Beirut to the town of Arida on the Syrian
border, from where the Armenian Embassy in Damascus arranged the
border crossing formalities and the transfer of the citizens to Aleppo
airport, where additional flights were arranged to take the nationals
into Yerevan. Several of the flights, origianlly scheduled to Beirut,
were diverted to Aleppo in order to serve the increasing number of
travelers. Limited number of evacuees preferred to stay in neighboring
Syria and Jordan, in anticiaption for peaceful unfolding of events.
Grigorian has himself suprevised the transfer process to Aleppo
Airport, by travelling to the Syrian border 4-5 times during the last
two weeks.
As far as the Armenian community in Lebanon is concerned, Grigorian
explains that the Embassy’s effort has been limited to facilitating
the easy transfer to Syria of those who expressed desire to join the
other evacuees. Eventually some 350 Armenians (mainly from Lebanon,
with few Armenians from other communities who were at that time in
Beirut) used the services of the Armenian authorities. In this
context, Grigorian wishes to stress that the Embassy is not involved
in creating a wave of immigration to Armenia. It is not clear how many
of those transferred to Armenia will finally settle down there.
Photo and text at:
734sza67