SYRIA RECOGNIZES THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE COMMITTED BY THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE, PARLIAMENT SPEAKER SAYS
18:57, 22 Apr 2015
Siranush Ghazanchyan
On the sidelines of the social and political global forum “Against
the Crime of Genocide” that has started today in Yerevan, President
Serzh Sargsyan held a meeting with Mohammad Jihad al-Laham, Speaker
of the People’s Council of the Syrian Arab Republic.
Serzh Sargsyan welcomed the dignitary to our country and thanked
for his participation in the forum, which, according to the Armenian
President, once again speaks of the sincere respect of the friendly
Syrian people for the Armenian people. Serzh Sargsyan expressed
his gratitude to the People’s Council of Syria for its steps aimed
at the recognition of the Armenian Genocide. The President praised
the special session of the People’s Council of Syria held this March
in connection with the Armenian Genocide and the influential speech
delivered by Mr. Jihad al-Laham.
Mr. Jihad al-Laham conveyed Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s warm
regards and best wishes to President Serzh Sargsyan and stressed that
Syrians have a special attitude towards Armenia and the Armenian
people. He noted that the participation of his delegation in the
Yerevan forum bears witness to the fact that Syria recognizes the
Armenian Genocide committed by the Ottoman Empire. The Speaker of
the People’s Council of Syria said that the global forum “Against the
Crime of Genocide” is a good opportunity to mobilize the efforts of
the international community and prevent the repetition of such crimes
in the future.
At the meeting, the interlocutors touched upon the relationship
between Armenia and Syria that has been developing dynamically since
the establishment of diplomatic relations in which the parties agreed
the Syrian-Armenian community has played a major role. President
Serzh Sargsyan was sorry to mention the internal political situation
prevailing in Syria for more than four years now and expressed the hope
that the friendly country of Syria will grow stronger as a result of
this hardship and will manage to ensure domestic peace and stability.
At the meeting, the parties also attached value to the strengthening
of inter-parliamentary ties which lie at the core of the friendship
between Armenia and Syria.
From: A. Papazian