ArmInfo.Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia, His Holiness Aram I met with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in Damascus.
As Aram I himself informs, the President of Syria welcomed the visit of His Holiness and the delegation accompanying him to the SAR. During the conversation, Assad recalled the Armenian Genocide committed by the Ottoman state and stressed that history continues in Syria. He noted the contribution of Armenia to the development and progress of Syria and stressed that the Armenian community is an integral part of the Syrian society.
Aram I, in turn, highly appreciated the support of the Syrian state for the restoration of the Armenian community. His Holiness assured that the Armenians of Syria will support the restoration and prosperity of Syria at any cost. The meeting provided an opportunity to discuss the concerns and problems of the region. Assad was then briefed on the difficulties faced by the Armenians in Syria. As part of his visit to Syria, Aram I also met with Syrian Minister of Awqaf (Religious Endowments) Mohammad Abdul-Sattar al-Sayyed, Prime Minister Hussein Arnus and head of the Assyrian Orthodox Church Aphrem II Patriarch (Meetings with the leaders of the Greek Orthodox and Catholic Churches did not take place due to the absence of the latter in the country).
