YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 12, ARMENPRESS. Permanent Representative of Armenia to the United Nations Mher Margaryan on November 11 met with Adama Dieng, Special Adviser to the UN Secretary-General on the Prevention of Genocides, during which he referred to the increase of tensions in north-east Syria, human casualties and risks to the civilian population, the Armenian foreign ministry told Armenpress.

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. 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. Special Adviser of the UN Secretary-General expressed his condolences on that tragic incident.

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

Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan