On November 2, Minister of Diaspora of the Republic of Armenia Hranush Hakobyan received the delegation of the Council of Representatives of Iraq led by Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee Abdelbari al-Zibari.

Greeting the guests, Minister Hranush Hakobyan highlighted the fact that the relations between Iraq and Armenia are centuries-old. “The foundation for the friendship between our two nations is the Armenians who found themselves in Iraq by fate, lived and worked and continue to be considered full-fledged citizens of Iraq,” the Minister stated.

The head of the delegation Abdelbari al-Zibari expressed gratitude for the cordial reception and close cooperation. “We are very happy that there are Armenians in Iraq who stand out with their punctuality, dedication and reliability in their respective jobs. Today, we are considering having Armenian Deputies within the Council of Representatives of Iraq. We are certain that Iraq will prosper through the efforts of the people of Iraq and Iraqi-Armenians. After undergoing numerous trials and tribulations, the Armenian people are growing, and Armenia is able to become a reliable haven for many refugees. In this sense, Armenia’s experience is extremely important for us,” Abdelbari al-Zibari stated.

Minister Hranush Hakobyan highly appreciated the constitutional amendment on granting parliamentary mandates to representatives of national minorities within the Council of Representatives of Iraq and stated that the Iraqi-Armenians will be able to show themselves in the best way in politics with their large-scale activities in the spheres of economy, culture and education.

“Today, nearly 1,000 Iraqis live in Armenia and stand out with their humility and diligence. Due to the Syrian war, 22,000 Syrian-Armenians have settled in Armenia. The government takes care of them and fosters their social, economic and cultural integration. They receive free education, benefit from free healthcare services, receive special loans and participate in language courses. There are three conditions that are required for any displaced person to continue to live a normal life-housing, employment and education, and we are trying to ensure all this,” Hranush Hakobyan stated.

Presenting the activities of the Ministry of Diaspora and the features of the Armenian Diaspora, the Minister emphasized the fact that the Armenians were scattered across the globe as a result of the Genocide and settled in 118 countries around the world. “We work with all the Armenian communities of the Diaspora, guided by the motto that an Armenian is he who feels Armenian. We try to help our compatriots preserve their identity, return to their roots and be the law-abiding and exemplary citizens of their respective countries of residence at the same time. We do everything possible to make sure Diaspora Armenians become connected to the Homeland,” the Minister of Diaspora stated.

The members of the delegation expressed gratitude for the meeting and voiced hope that Armenia would try to foster Iraq’s future development.

At the end of the meeting, Minister Hranush Hakobyan donated Ruben Mangasaryan’s album entitled “Armenia” to Abdelbari al-Zibari.