Yerevan, Sep. 05 (SANA)-
The Grand Mufti of the Republic in Syria Dr. Ahamd Badruddin Hassoun stressed that Syria id the country of religious tolerance and the place from which Christianity spread to the world.

The Grand Mufti, during a banquet given in his honor by the Armenian Apostolic Catholicos Karekin II in Yerevan overnight, said that Syria was also the country to which the Armenian people immigrated in the past and found amity and hospitality.

He also conveyed best greetings of President Bashar al-Assad to the friendly people and government of Armenia, the President and Catholicos Karekin II in person.

For his part, Catholicos Karekin II highly appreciated the visit by the Grand Mufti of Syria and the accompanying delegation to Armenia.

Armenia's Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian who attended the banquet stressed that the visit of Syria's Grand Mufti is an expression of the Arab friendship, particularly the Syrian, and for enhancing Islamic-Christian dialogue.

Mr. Oskanian said "I lived in Aleppo ( north of Syria) which received the Armenians in the past…there we led a good life, and we didn't feel one day that we were aliens…We also didn't find any problems in this hospital country."

For his part, Professor Philin Hagobian, former Head of the State Medical University and member of the Armenian Scientific Academy, voiced gratitude to the Syrian people who received and offered all available assistance to the Armenians.

Rev. Armash Nalbandian, bishop of the Armenian Apostolic of Damascus, stressed that Damascus is a sacred land as it is the cradle of the civilization and religions, expressing high appreciation of the relations between the two peoples of Syria and Armenia.

Ahmad F. ZAHRA