YEREVAN. – US Ambassador to Armenia John Heffern reflected on Armenia’s support to Russia at the UN, and concerning the Crimean issue, and on the respective stance the world will adopt regarding Armenia, Zhamanak daily reported.

‘“We certainly support the UN’s decision, and Washington has repeatedly made statements about this,’ he said. He added that the US will continue to cooperate with Armenia on this matter, [that] the talks will continue.  

[Armenia was among the eleven countries that on Thursday voted against the UN General Assembly resolution which declares invalid Crimea’s recent referendum calling for joining Russia. In addition, 58 countries abstained from voting on this resolution, whereas 100 countries voted in its favor. The UN General Assembly resolutions, however, are merely consultative.]

“Reflecting on the attacks on [Syria’s predominantly Armenian-populated town of] Kessab and the Armenian depopulation there, the ambassador noted: ‘Washington made a statement about that, too. We are very concerned about all those problems that are occurring across Syria, including everything that is done to the minorities,’” Zhamanak wrote.    

In the early morning on March 21, armed militants from the Jabhat al-Nusra Islamic terrorist group infiltrated into northern Syria’s Latakia Governorate, which is predominantly inhabited by Armenians and Alawites, from four directions. Two large groups of terrorists had launched the attack from Turkey. About 600 Kessab-Armenian families are currently sheltered in Latakia city. On March 23, Turkish fighter planes downed a Syrian military aircraft that was conducting a mission against the Islamic terrorists in Kessab. On Monday, a group of Armenia parliament members headed to Syria to assess the situation in the country.