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Within the frame of the social and political global forum “Against the Crime of Genocide” that has started today in Yerevan, President Serzh Sargsyan held a meeting with Mohammad Jihad al-Laham, Speaker of the People’s Council of the Syrian Arab Republic, the President's press office reports.

Serzh Sargsyan welcomed the dignitary to our country and thanked for his participation in the forum, which, according to the Armenian President, once again speaks of the sincere respect of the friendly Syrian people for the Armenian people. Serzh Sargsyan expressed his gratitude to the People’s Council of Syria for its steps aimed at the recognition of the Armenian Genocide. The President praised the special session of the People’s Council of Syria held this March in connection with the Armenian Genocide and the influential speech delivered by Mr. Jihad al-Laham.

Mr. Jihad al-Laham conveyed Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s warm regards and best wishes to President Serzh Sargsyan and stressed that Syrians have a special attitude towards Armenia and the Armenian people. He noted that the participation of his delegation in the Yerevan forum bears witness to the fact that Syria recognizes the Armenian Genocide committed by the Ottoman Empire. The Speaker of the People’s Council of Syria said that the global forum “Against the Crime of Genocide” is a good opportunity to mobilize the efforts of the international community and prevent the repetition of such crimes in the future.

The interlocutors touched upon the relationship between Armenia and Syria that has been developing dynamically since the establishment of diplomatic relations in which the parties agreed the Syrian-Armenian community has played a major role. President Serzh Sargsyan was sorry to mention the internal political situation prevailing in Syria for more than four years now and expressed the hope that the friendly country of Syria will grow stronger as a result of this hardship and will manage to ensure domestic peace and stability.

The parties also attached importance to the strengthening of inter-parliamentary ties which lie at the core of the friendship between Armenia and Syria.