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ARMENIAN PRESIDENT CONCERNED ABOUT SITUATION IN SYRIAN DISTRICT OF KESAB POPULATED BY ARMENIANS
Interfax, Russia
March 24 2014
YEREVAN. March 24
Armenian President Serzh Sargsian said while on a working visit in
the Netherlands that he was concerned about the events in Kesab,
Syrian district populated mostly with Armenians.
"We all remember very well the story of Kesab, which unfortunately
is rich with hellish realities of expulsions of Armenians in the past
hundred years," the Armenian president's press office quoted Sargsian
as saying to Interfax on Monday.
The Armenian population of Kesab was forced to leave its homeland
twice - in 1909 and 1915 - due to the actions of Turkish military
units, Sargsian said.
"Today the third expulsion of Armenians from Kesab occurs, which is
a serious threat to mechanisms protecting ethnic minorities. I think
that everyone should realize that these historical parallels should
have a sobering effect on all parties," the Armenian president said.
Sargsian said he was grateful to the Syrian authorities for steps
being taken to protect Armenians of Kesab.
"I have ordered Armenian representatives in the office of the UN in
Geneva and New York to raise this issue in human rights organizations
and to be consistent in guaranteeing the protection of rights of
Kesab's Armenians and their return," the president said.
The Armenian embassy in Syria is working on a program of actions to
assist Armenians of Kesab, which "will be implemented completely,"
Sargsian said.
The Armenian Foreign Ministry has said it was concerned about the
situation in Kesab bordering Turkey. On Monday deputies of the Armenian
parliament said they urged the Syrian and Turkish authorities to
investigate events in Kesab and demanded that UN monitors be sent
there.
The Syrian ambassador to Lebanon visited Catholicos Aram I, whose
residence is in Lebanon, upon the order of Syrian President Bashar
al-Assad on March 23. The Syrian Army will do everything possible to
restore peace in this region, Assad said.
ez mk
Interfax, Russia
March 24 2014
YEREVAN. March 24
Armenian President Serzh Sargsian said while on a working visit in
the Netherlands that he was concerned about the events in Kesab,
Syrian district populated mostly with Armenians.
"We all remember very well the story of Kesab, which unfortunately
is rich with hellish realities of expulsions of Armenians in the past
hundred years," the Armenian president's press office quoted Sargsian
as saying to Interfax on Monday.
The Armenian population of Kesab was forced to leave its homeland
twice - in 1909 and 1915 - due to the actions of Turkish military
units, Sargsian said.
"Today the third expulsion of Armenians from Kesab occurs, which is
a serious threat to mechanisms protecting ethnic minorities. I think
that everyone should realize that these historical parallels should
have a sobering effect on all parties," the Armenian president said.
Sargsian said he was grateful to the Syrian authorities for steps
being taken to protect Armenians of Kesab.
"I have ordered Armenian representatives in the office of the UN in
Geneva and New York to raise this issue in human rights organizations
and to be consistent in guaranteeing the protection of rights of
Kesab's Armenians and their return," the president said.
The Armenian embassy in Syria is working on a program of actions to
assist Armenians of Kesab, which "will be implemented completely,"
Sargsian said.
The Armenian Foreign Ministry has said it was concerned about the
situation in Kesab bordering Turkey. On Monday deputies of the Armenian
parliament said they urged the Syrian and Turkish authorities to
investigate events in Kesab and demanded that UN monitors be sent
there.
The Syrian ambassador to Lebanon visited Catholicos Aram I, whose
residence is in Lebanon, upon the order of Syrian President Bashar
al-Assad on March 23. The Syrian Army will do everything possible to
restore peace in this region, Assad said.
ez mk