As before, Armenia is ready to discuss improvement of relations with Turkey without any preconditions. At the same time Armenia states that the Armenian Genocide can by no means be a subject of discussions, Speaker of the Armenian Parliament Hovik Abrahamyan stated at his meeting with representatives of the Armenian community.

“However, we have seen that Turkey fails to honor the commitments it assumed in signing the Zurich protocols,” Abrahamyan said. He stressed that the Armenian people must assess its potential and make the best use of the Diaspora’s potential. According to him, Armenia-Diaspora cooperation is the best way of preserving Armenian identity. “About 30 years ago, in Yerevan, the Syrian President Hafez al-Assad of blessed memory made a historic statement. He said Syria was Armenians’ second homeland. Then we felt he was a sincere friend, sharing our anguish,” Abrahamyan said. The Armenian President’s visit to Syria this March and the Syrian leader’s visit to Armenia last June open new chapters in Armenian-Syrian relations. “I am sure the Armenian community will go on contributing to the development of the Syrian State,” Abrahamyan said.