Abrahamyan: Armenians again experienced pain ahead of Genocide centennial

A two-day international conference entitled “The Syrian Crisis: Challenges to Christian Communities” started today in the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin. The conference is presided over by Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II.

The event’s attendees include Secretary General of the World Council of Churches Olaf Fykse Tveit and representatives of Christian Churches from the Middle East, Syria, Russia, Europa and the United States.

On behalf of the Armenian government, Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan welcomed the participants. He expressed hope that the conference will contribute to the establishment of political and interreligious dialog in Syria, according to the press office of the Armenian government.

“We all experience pain when we witness the internal political crisis in the Middle East, particularly in Syria, which escalated into a civil war and resulted in deaths of innocent people. The Syrian crisis had grave consequences for Christian Churches. An attempt is being made to represent it as a religious conflict. Any such attempt will be denounced as we are sure that all the religions advocate peace,” the prime minister stated.

“The independence and peace were bought by the blood of the Armenian people. The Armenian leadership makes great efforts for a peaceful resolution of the Kazrabakh problem. The Armenians were subjected to genocide at the beginning of the 20th century and lost their historic homeland – Western Armenia. Ahead of the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, the Armenian people again experienced that pain when in the spring of this year armed groups – with the clear support of Turkey – seized the Syrian town of Kessab populated predominantly by Armenians,” Hovik Abrahamyan said.

He expressed hope that the recent presidential elections in Syria will promote the dialog for solving the current problems and rebuilding the country.