Armenia’s Foreign Minister Visits Syria, Meets with Assad

Armenia's Foreign Minister Eduard Nalbandian and Syria's President Bashar Assad meet in Damascus, Syria.

Armenia’s Foreign Minister Eduard Nalbandian traveled to the Middle East this week, visiting Lebanon yesterday and Syria today, according to the Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Nalbandian yesterday met with Lebanese Minister of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants Gebran Bassil, Lebanese Prime Minister Tammam Salam, and Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri.

During the meetings between Nalbandian and his Lebanese counterparts, the parties discussed the importance of strengthening economic ties between Armenia and Lebanon and increasing the volume of Lebanese investments in Armenia. The 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide and the events surrounding the solemn occasion were also discussed as was the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Armenia’s current stance in resolving the conflict, and an update on the OSCE’s efforts on achieving a peaceful resolution between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

The current situation in the Middle East, including the conflicts in Syria and Iraq, were also discussed.

During the discussion about Middle East tensions, Nalbandian noted Armenia’s participation in the peacekeeping mission in Southern Lebanon and that more Armenian troops would be sent to the country to bolster the mission.

Nalbandian also met with Lebanese-Armenian community leaders and members and visited the Armenian Embassy in Beirut.

Today, Nalbandian met with the Syrian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign affairs Walid Mouallem. The two ministers discussed the situation in Syria, cooperation on the war against terror and mutual relations.

Nalbandian and the Armenian delegation were also received at the presidential palace in Damascus. In the meeting Syrian president Bashar al-Assad said that Armenia can play a vital role at this critical juncture in the region by relaying to Western countries the truth about what is happening in the Middle East. Assad also underlined the importance of combating terrorism effectively.

Nalbandian said that this threat requires unified and serious efforts to combat terrorism and provide suitable conditions to resolve the Syrian crisis via a process that allows the Syrians themselves to decide their country’s future.

Since the start of the Syrian conflict in 2011 more than 200,000 people have died, more than a third of the population are internally displaced and more than 3 million people have become refugees. Many Syrian-Armenians who fled the country found refuge in Lebanon and Armenia. This past February, Armenia’s Minister of Diaspora Hranush Hakobyan stated approximately 12,000 Syrian-Armenians currently live in Armenia.

On May 21, Hakobyan addressed the Armenian Government about the current predicament Syrian-Armenians are facing in Syria and an inter-ministerial committee had been formed to research what can be done to help and support Armenians in the war-torn country.