On Apr. 9, RA Acting Minister of Diaspora Hranush Hakobyan received the delegation led by Head of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Christoph Bierwirth. President of the Center for Coordination of Syrian-Armenians’ Issues NGO Lena Haladjian also attended the meeting.

During the meeting, the sides discussed the events that have taken place in the Syrian city of Kessab and their consequences and the key issues facing Syrian-Armenians who have moved to Armenia due to the civil war in Syria, as well as several other issues on provision of homes and the construction of the New Aleppo District.

RA Acting Minister of Diaspora Hranush Hakobyan praised the cooperation with the UNHCR, the UNHCR’s active efforts aimed at solving the key issues facing Syrian-Armenians in Armenia, as well as Bierwirth’s participation in the programs and events carried out by the RA Ministry of Diaspora.

The Head of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees expressed gratitude to the minister for the constructive discussions, proposals and cooperation. He also mentioned that he is closely following the events taking place in Kessab, is in constant contact with the corresponding subdivisions of the United Nations and has transmitted the Armenian people’s position to his partners of the United Nations. Bierwirth also attached importance to the key issues concerning Syrian-Armenians residing in Armenia and voiced hope that those issues would be solved soon.

In the end, the sides agreed to continue their joint efforts to solve the key issues facing the Syrian-Armenians in the situation that has been created, particularly the programs for construction of apartments and providing the Syrian-Armenians with homes.