On 1-3 July, RA Ambassador to Syria Arshak Poladyan, with the accompaniment of RA Consul General in Aleppo Tigran Gevorgyan and Prelate of the Armenian Apostolic Church of Damascus, Bishop Armash Nalbandian, visited Latakia. During the visit, Ambassador Poladyan had a meeting with Governor of Latakia Ahmad Sheikh Abdulkader on July 1.

During the meeting, the governor of Latakia presented the socio-economic situation in Latakia. The sides stressed the weighty role that the Armenians of Latakia and Kessab have traditionally played in the society, economy and culture in Latakia, exchanged views on the issues facing the Armenians and the ways of solving those issues. In that context, the governor of Latakia and Ambassador Poladyan reflected on the current situation in the Armenian-populated town of Kessab, which was recently liberated by the Syrian army.

During the visit, Ambassador Poladyan visited Kessab where he met with Mayor Vasken Chaparian and the emergency unit and discussed the difficulties with the Kessab-Armenians’ return to their hometown and the start of a new life and the possible ways of solving the issues. The Ambassador also visited the Armenian churches and cultural centers that had been devastated during the military clashes in Kessab.

Afterwards, clergymen and representatives of community organizations of Latakia participated in a solemn ceremony during which dozens of Armenians of Latakia received the passport of the citizen of the Republic of Armenia at the St. Mary Church in Latakia.

Congratulating the recipients, Ambassador Poladyan stressed the fact that becoming a citizen of the Republic of Armenia is a great and memorable event in the life of every Armenian and voiced hope that the new Armenian citizens would always keep the honor of the citizen of the Republic of Armenian.

In their speeches, the members of the Armenian community praised the role of the Armenian government in finding solutions to the issues facing the Armenians of Kessab and Syrian-Armenians in general, reports the RA MFA press service.