YEREVAN. – On 11 November, the Permanent Representative of Armenia to the United Nations, Mher Margaryan, met with Adama Dieng , the UN Secretary-General's Special Adviser for the Prevention of Genocide, during which he referred to the increase of tensions in northeastern Syria, human casualties, and risks to the civilian population.

The Armenian Permanent Representative emphasized the security risks faced by the Armenian community of Syria and other ethnic and religious minorities, in particular, identity-based crimes and mass atrocities, the Armenian Foreign Ministry informed Armenian News-NEWS.am that.

Drawing the attention of Adama Dieng to the murder of the Armenian pastors Hovsep Petoian and Abraham Petoian from the Syrian city of Qamishli on 11 November, Mher Margaryan condemned that heinous crime, as based on religious and ethnic grounds. The Special Adviser of the UN Secretary-General expressed his condolences on that tragic incident.

During the meeting, the interlocutors underlined the need of intensifying the efforts of international community towards prevention of hate crimes, mass atrocities, and genocide.