More than 100 Syrian Armenians arrived in Armenia

On August 6, the "Zvartnots" Airport welcomed more passengers from Syria; 101 persons arrived from Aleppo to Yerevan on that day. Every time, Syrian Armenians are welcomed by representatives of the Ministry of Diaspora; new comers are given leaflets with the information needed to stay in Armenia. This was reported by Atom Mkhitaryan, Chief of the Department for Pan-Armenian programmes of the Ministry of Diaspora.

According to Atom Mkhitaryan, the Ministry of Diaspora established a special commission to deal with the problems of Syrian Armenians.

According to him, the Department of Pan-Armenian programmes carries out mini-surveys to identify needs, reasons and length of stay in the country. According to the mini-surveys, Syrian Armenians mostly arrive in Armenia for a short time to spend their vacations, and the most of them intend to go back to Syria in 2-3 weeks. Others note that they will return only when the situation in the country stabilizes. And only 10-12 percent of them come to Armenia to stay to live there.

Suzy Margaryan met two families Chil-Gevorgyan and Margaryan families, who intended to come to Armenia to obtain citizenship and wait for some time there, until the situation in Syria would change. According to her, till present, they did not decide whether they would remain there in Armenia or whether they would go back.

According to Zepyur Kuyumdjyan, who teaches at the University of Aleppo, the entrance examinations in the universities were postponed because of the situation in Syria. Zepyur dreamed all her life to come to Armenia; and, if the Syrian issue is resolved not in favour of Assad, she and her family will probably stay to live in Armenia.

Sarin Kirakosyan, a 13-year-old daughter of Zepyur Kuyumdjyan, says how they could hear the sounds of gunshots from their house. "The first week was terrible, and we did not leave the house; then we gradually started to get used to the sounds of shots. However, Dad decided that it was very dangerous to stay in our city, and we left the city," Sarin Kirakosyan says.