Authorities of Armenia must help Syrian-Armenians – expert

news.am
June 23, 2012 | 03:08

YEREVAN. – Authorities of Armenia should establish a special
structure, which will elaborate a program for re-populating
representatives of the Armenian community in Syria, expert of the Arab
studies Armen Petrosyan told Armenian News-NEWS.am.

`Situation in Syria is very tense, Armenians living in the state have
appeared in a difficult situation. They took no one’s side during the
developed local conflict. Despite they traditionally supported the
authorities, but in reality they were politically neutral. Currently
civil war is unleashed in the country and their physical existence is
at risk,’ the expert said adding the program will assist the Armenians
to come out of the problem to some extent.

Besides, representatives of the community should be involved in the
program, as well as contacts should be established with the
opposition.

As for information spread by outlets that over 4,500 Syrian-Armenians
have turned to the Armenian authorities for acquiring the citizenship,
the expert said that they will need the citizenship for going to the
United States, Australia or Canada, as well as United Arab Emirates,
Kuwait. Petrosyan once again stated that Armenian authorities should
make all possible efforts to preserve the community as it is a part of
national and cultural wealth of the Armenian people.