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Congressman seriously concerned about fate of Armenians in Syria
arminfo
Friday, August 10, 19:13
Gus Bilirakis, a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, has
expressed serious concern about the fate of the Armenian and other
Christian minorities in Syria increasingly suffering from the
country's civil war and called for U.S. government support for them,
Azatutyun.am reports.
Bilirakis, who is a member of Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues,
introduced last week a draft House resolution that calls on the U.S.
administration to prioritize the security of Syria's Christians and
other religious minorities in its policies on the Middle Eastern
nation. He expressed hope that the non- binding resolution will reach
the House floor as early as next month.
The lawmaker said Washington should make any aid to a future Syrian
government conditional on protection of minority rights. "We know that
[Syrian President Bashar] Assad has to go, he is corrupt, he is
funding terrorists such as Hezbollah," he said. "But whatever
government is put in place, we want to make sure it's in the
constitution, in the bill of rights, if you will, that guarantees
freedom of religion, expression and speech."
Bilirakis said Washington should also make sure that Armenians and
other Christians are represented in the Syrian National Council, an
Istanbul-based coalition of opposition forces trying to topple the
ruling regime in Damascus. "We need to make it a priority," he said.
Most of Syria's 80,000 or so ethnic Armenians appear to remain
supportive of Assad's regime, having benefited from relative safety
and cultural autonomy that has for decades been enjoyed by Syrian
Christians.
Hundreds and possibly thousands of Syrian Armenians have fled the
country in recent months. Many of them have taken refuge in Armenia.
Their exodus has accelerated since the outbreak of heavy fighting
between Syrian government forces and rebels in Aleppo about two weeks
ago. The vast majority of Syrian Armenians live in that sprawling
city.
arminfo
Friday, August 10, 19:13
Gus Bilirakis, a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, has
expressed serious concern about the fate of the Armenian and other
Christian minorities in Syria increasingly suffering from the
country's civil war and called for U.S. government support for them,
Azatutyun.am reports.
Bilirakis, who is a member of Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues,
introduced last week a draft House resolution that calls on the U.S.
administration to prioritize the security of Syria's Christians and
other religious minorities in its policies on the Middle Eastern
nation. He expressed hope that the non- binding resolution will reach
the House floor as early as next month.
The lawmaker said Washington should make any aid to a future Syrian
government conditional on protection of minority rights. "We know that
[Syrian President Bashar] Assad has to go, he is corrupt, he is
funding terrorists such as Hezbollah," he said. "But whatever
government is put in place, we want to make sure it's in the
constitution, in the bill of rights, if you will, that guarantees
freedom of religion, expression and speech."
Bilirakis said Washington should also make sure that Armenians and
other Christians are represented in the Syrian National Council, an
Istanbul-based coalition of opposition forces trying to topple the
ruling regime in Damascus. "We need to make it a priority," he said.
Most of Syria's 80,000 or so ethnic Armenians appear to remain
supportive of Assad's regime, having benefited from relative safety
and cultural autonomy that has for decades been enjoyed by Syrian
Christians.
Hundreds and possibly thousands of Syrian Armenians have fled the
country in recent months. Many of them have taken refuge in Armenia.
Their exodus has accelerated since the outbreak of heavy fighting
between Syrian government forces and rebels in Aleppo about two weeks
ago. The vast majority of Syrian Armenians live in that sprawling
city.