YEREVAN (Combined Sources)–A delegation of 12 Arab tribal leaders–accompanied by National Assembly’s Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) faction and the ARF Armenia Supreme Body members–visited the Dzidzernagapert Memorial on Tuesday to pay tribute to the victims of the Armenian genocide.
Praying for the victims’ souls–the delegation members stressed that the reality of the Genocide cannot be denied–noting that it is proven by numerous documen’s.
The influential tribal leaders–some of whom reside in Saudi Arabia–Jordan–Iraq–and Qatar–are in Armenia to take part in the events commemorating the 90th anniversary of the Armenian genocide–to pay tribute to the Genocide victims–and remind the world of the unpunished vicious crime. The trip has been organized by the Armenian community of Aleppo.
Leader of the Tal tribe–Mohamed Elfarif–said the Arabs gave shelter to Armenia’s who were deported by the Turkish government to the desert and were condemned to death. Commenting that some Armenian girls even married young Arab men–Elfarif said–"Now we have the same blood," adding that he had heard such stories from his grandparents.
He said they wish to see Armenia in its historic borders–and expressed that the viewpoint of the tribes does not differ from the viewpoint of the Arab people as a whole.
Armenian chief consul in Aleppo Armen Melkonian said–"The visit of such people who are considered rather influential in their country will promote the establishment of friendlier relations between our countries."
According to another leader of a Syrian tribe–Noaf Alpashiri–100 families are currently living in their tribe who are the descendants of Armenia’s who survived the Turkish massacre.
The delegation arrived in Yerevan on Monday–accompanied by representatives of the Armenian Church’s Beria Prelacy.
Armenian National Assembly’s ARF faction secretary Hrair Karapetian and ARF Bureau’s Political Affairs Office director Giro Manoyan greeted the guests at Yerevan’s Zvartnotz airport.
Their hospitable ancestors gave refuge to the fragmen’s of Armenia’s who miraculously survived in the Genocide; today–many of those Armenia’s and their heirs still live side-to-side with the friendly Arab people and enjoy equal rights.
The leaders of the tribes met with Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian and Yerevan mayor Yervand Zakharian. They are also scheduled to meet with Prime Minister Andranik Margarian–parliamentary factions–and Defense Minister Serge Sargsian.