Bashar al-Assad, Syria and the Armenian people

[Davo88]

Re: Bashar al-Assad, Syria and the Armenian people

The particularity about Syria is that if NATO finds another excuse to intervene like in Libya, it's certainly not going to be France or the UK who will lead the intervention, but Turkey. And we all know that the Turks have a bloody history with Armenians in Syria so I hope that Syria stays stable, for the Turks' sake...

[Mos]

Re: Bashar al-Assad, Syria and the Armenian people

The particularity about Syria is that if NATO finds another excuse to intervene like in Libya, it's certainly not going to be France or the UK who will lead the intervention, but Turkey. And we all know that the Turks have a bloody history with Armenians in Syria so I hope that Syria stays stable, for the Turks' sake...

Turkey is on good terms with Assad they won't intervene. In fact relations between the two have greatly warmed the past few years.

[Davo88]

Re: Bashar al-Assad, Syria and the Armenian people

Check the map of Syria on 0:55 here:

Despite all the good sides of Syrian-Armenian relations, note that Syria has stopped short of recognizing the Armenian genocide.

[Joseph]

Re: Bashar al-Assad, Syria and the Armenian people

And yes, Assad has really cozied up the Turks since the AKP came to the forefront in Turkey. Sadly, Armenians could end up caught in the middle or even as scapegoats should the situation deteriorate...almost a no-win situation.

[Armanen]

Re: Bashar al-Assad, Syria and the Armenian people

And yes, Assad has really cozied up the Turks since the AKP came to the forefront in Turkey. Sadly, Armenians could end up caught in the middle or even as scapegoats should the situation deteriorate...almost a no-win situation.

Well the only positive I would see if it really came down to that is some Syrian Armenians selling their assets and heading to Armenia. Sadly, Armenia couldn't handly too many refugees so it would not be so positive afterall. If we had a more unified and effective Diaspora we would create programs to give money and land to Armenian families who wish to settle in Armenia-Artsakh.

[Federate]

Re: Bashar al-Assad, Syria and the Armenian people

Well the only positive I would see if it really came down to that is some Syrian Armenians selling their assets and heading to Armenia. Sadly, Armenia couldn't handly too many refugees so it would not be so positive afterall. If we had a more unified and effective Diaspora we would create programs to give money and land to Armenian families who wish to settle in Armenia-Artsakh.

Syrian-Armenians have been the Armenian diasporan leaders in repatriation. Even when they are not repatriating, I am hearing that many are taking up dual Armenian citizenship these days. During USSR times, repatriation was higher from Syria than anywhere else thanks to excellent relations between Hafez al-Assad (Bashar's father) and the USSR. I know lots of Syrian-Armenians who studied in Yerevan during Soviet days.

[Armanen]

Re: Bashar al-Assad, Syria and the Armenian people

Syrian-Armenians have been the Armenian diasporan leaders in repatriation. Even when they are not repatriating, I am hearing that many are taking up dual Armenian citizenship these days. During USSR times, repatriation was higher from Syria than anywhere else thanks to excellent relations between Hafez al-Assad (Bashar's father) and the USSR. I know lots of Syrian-Armenians who studied in Yerevan during Soviet days.

I didn't know they were the highest during the Soviet era repatriation program but I did know many from the Middle east were from Syria. My point was that there will be an influx of Armenians from Syria should the s*it hit the fan there. Also, we should have a program, financied by the Diaspora and RA government that gives financial incentives to repatriate to Armenia. But until Armenia doesn't fix the socio-economic issues of the natives there, it will be a difficult to encourage Diasporans to settle in Armenia financially.

[Joseph]

Re: Bashar al-Assad, Syria and the Armenian people

I didn't know they were the highest during the Soviet era repatriation program but I did know many from the Middle east were from Syria. My point was that there will be an influx of Armenians from Syria should the s*it hit the fan there. Also, we should have a program, financied by the Diaspora and RA government that gives financial incentives to repatriate to Armenia. But until Armenia doesn't fix the socio-economic issues of the natives there, it will be a difficult to encourage Diasporans to settle in Armenia financially.

The Armenian government should do this but as you said, they have much to do before this can be fully accomplished should a new situation arise with Syrian-Armenians. The had a chance with Iraqi-Armenians but this produced only small results. They should be offered incentives to live in Artsakh.

[Armanen]

Re: Bashar al-Assad, Syria and the Armenian people

The Armenian government should do this but as you said, they have much to do before this can be fully accomplished should a new situation arise with Syrian-Armenians. The had a chance with Iraqi-Armenians but this produced only small results. They should be offered incentives to live in Artsakh.

I think part of the problem, especially with certain families that came from Iraq, was that they were more Arabized than Armenian. I think this is an issue for Armenians regardless of where they live in the Diaspora, but Iraqi-Armenians, compared to other Armenians from the Middle-east, are IMHO more assimilated. By no means am I suggested that we should give up hope on them or disown, but I do think we should focus on Armenian families who would like to move rather than basing it on an Armenian surname.

[Federate]

Re: Bashar al-Assad, Syria and the Armenian people

I think part of the problem, especially with certain families that came from Iraq, was that they were more Arabized than Armenian. I think this is an issue for Armenians regardless of where they live in the Diaspora, but Iraqi-Armenians, compared to other Armenians from the Middle-east, are IMHO more assimilated. By no means am I suggested that we should give up hope on them or disown, but I do think we should focus on Armenian families who would like to move rather than basing it on an Armenian surname.

I remember reading one of the problems was language but I think that was the least of their concern. The Iraqi Armenians who settled in Darbnik were complaining that it was too "gyughakan", lacked social services etc compared to Baghdad but they all said security was the biggest benefit of Armenia.