Today, Minister Oskanian met with representatives of international refugee assistance agencies in Yerevan. They exchanged information about the situation in Iraq and the possible influx of Armenian refugees from Iraq.

Minister Oskanian briefed the representatives of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, the Norwegian Refugee Council, the International Committee for the Red Cross, the International Federation of Red Cross, the International of Migration, UNICEF and the Armenian Red Cross on the situation as it stands today. He explained that there are Iraqi citizens of Armenian descent in various third countries -- Syria, Jordan, Lebanon -- who may be the first to apply to come to Armenia, since they won't be able to return to Iraq. He also identified Armenian villages

within Iraq, near border regions, which are also susceptible and may create large numbers of refugees.
The numbers of Armenians in Iraq, based on information from the Armenian community there, is as follows: Bagdad: 20,000; Musul: 1200; Basra: 1200 and 1500 in the Avzruk village in the Zakho region. The Minister explained that there do not appear to be any Armenians among the casualties, thus far, according to news from the Armenian community there.

The Minister said Armenia would be concerned if Turkish troops invaded northern Iraq, or Iraqi Kurdistan, because that would pose a danger not just to the Kurds in the region, but Armenians, as well. The Minister said that although the US administration had clearly demanded that Turkey not resort to such a step, nevertheless, it remains a source of concern not just as it affects developments in Iraq, but also as it affects general regional stability.