ACCORDING TO SYRIAN PRESS, SYRIA CAN BE MEDIATOR BETWEEN ARMENIA AND TURKEY
Noyan Tapan
June 16, 2009
YEREVAN, JUNE 16, NOYAN TAPAN. "Active development dynamics is recorded
in Armenian-Syrian relations lately," orientalist Suren Manukian
said at the June 16 press conference. In his words, mutual visits
show that Armenia and Syria realize the necessity of non-declarative
and concrete contacts. The orientalist stressed that Armenian-Syrian
warm relations have an old history: suffice it to remember that the
Armenians escaping from the 1915 Armenian Genocide found a refuge in
Syria settling mostly in Aleppo and Damascus. As S. Manukian added,
the two countries’ friendship also continued under the USSR: in those
years President of Syria Hafez al-Assad, the father of country’s
current President, visited Armenia and received a warm welcome.
As to Turkish-Syrian relations, according to S. Manukian’s observation,
they became warmer only after 2005 and are now at a sufficient level.
The orientalist reminded that two weeks ago the Syrian Foreign Minister
stated that his country welcomes the Armenian-Turkish dialogue. And
the Syrian press, according to S. Manukian, lately constantly writes
that Syria can be a mediator between Armenia and Turkey.