At a news conference on Monday Kiro Manoyan, head of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) Bureau's Hay Dat and Political Affairs Office said the Armenian community in Syria is unlikely to completely leave the country like it happened during the war in Iraq.

“First of all the Armenian community in Syria is much larger than in Iraq, secondly, the Syrian-Armenian community is much more firm there, there is even a 7th century church in Syria,” he said, adding that some of them will leave the country but the majority will stay there.

He said first of all it is necessary to think about their safety.

“The safety of the Armenian community, especially in Aleppo and Damascus, is a prior issue. Everything must be done for the Armenian community to be safe and not be politically persecuted,” he said, adding that the state should support those who want to return to Armenia temporarily.

Referring to the developments in Syria and intervention of external forces, Manoyan said it is aimed at not establishing democracy in Syria but seeking equalization of strategic forces in the region.

“We can see only one way out – the establishment of Kurdish autonomy and no matter who will come to power or stay at it, the Kurdish issue will be solved, and the rest is not clear yet,” Manoyan said, adding that it is the issue the Turkey is concerned with.