YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 27, ARMENPRESS. The number of foreign citizens seeking refuge in Armenia increased for approximately eight times. In a conversation with "Armenpress" the Head of Migration Agency of the Ministry of Territorial Administration of the Republic of Armenia Gagik Yeganyan stated that the majority of the applications for refuge in Armenia were submitted by the Syrian citizens in 2012, but 87 of 92 foreign citizens were from Syria, and 5 of them from Iraq by January 2013. Among other things Gagik Yeganyan underscored: "Because of the political situation in Syria the number of foreign citizens seeking refuge in Armenia recorded a palpable growth in 2012 and by January 2013, and this number continues growing."

In accordance with the data of the Migration Agency 155 of 496 Syrian citizens found refuge in Armenia. By January 2013 the applications of 54 Syrian citizens out of 87 have already been accepted. In the period of 2009-2011 the number of foreign citizens seeking refuge in Armenia did not exceed 100. A number of Iranian, Iraqi, Turkish, Lebanese, Georgian and many other citizens had applied to the Migration Agency for refuge.