On September 4, Mr. Tigran Torosyan, the President of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia received the delegation headed by Mufti of the Arab Republic of Syria Sheikh Ahmad Badr Al-Din Hassoun. The Catholicos of all Armenians Garegin II and Ambassadors of two countries were present at the meeting.

Closely observing the goal and the process of Mufti of the Arab Republic of Syria Sheikh Ahmad Badr Al-Din Hassoun’s visit to Armenia His Holiness highlighted friendly relations between the two countries, and particularly the fact of providing a shelter to our compatriots, who survived after the Armenian Genocide at the beginning of last century.

Mr. Tigran Torosyan, the RA NA President, greeting the spiritual leader of Syria in the Parliament, gratefully touched upon the fact of brotherly reception and treatment of our suffered people as fully citizens in 1915. The RA NA President noted that he is closely observing the events that keep the region in chaos and he is concerned not only with the fate of his compatriots, but with the one of the friendly nations. Mr. Torosyan highlighted the Mufti’s visit in a period when the spiritual leader of the neighboring country is threatening with Jihad and expressed a hope that religions cannot be divisive. Other high values exist, which unite the people and give the opportunity to confront the challenges.

The Mufti of the Arab Republic of Syria Sheikh Ahmad Badr Al-Din Hassoun, conveying the greetings of the people and the President of the Syrian Arab Republic Bashar Asad, expressed his satisfaction to be on a visit to the Parliament of the Republic of Armenia as a country, which was the first to adopt Christianity as a state religion - a light which guided throughout its future history.Touching upon the Jihad declared by the spiritual leader of the Muslims of the Caucasus, the Mufti noted that Jihad means life, and not war and murder, because Jihad unites the people around good idea, and the task of the spiritual leaders should be supporting the political leadership to establish peace and well being.

Mr. T. Torosyan, the RA NA President, noted that as Jihad may receive various interpretations within the same religion, so various interpretations are given to the conception of democracy. It is interpreted as a way of governance, which brings welfare and safety to a human being. But there are people and groups that use the democracy for war. Though, the welfare is not given by war and is not obliged.

The issues of globalization to meet the challenges were mutually highlighted: to protect and save the national identity, since the loss of identity is a sin before God, who awarded that identity and peculiarities.

Other issues were also discussed during the meeting.