YEREVAN. March 28 (Interfax) - The attack of opposition groups in the Syrian region of Kesab, mostly populated by Armenians, was carried out from Turkey, Armenian parliament speaker Ovik Abraamian said.
"The attack on Kesab was carried out from a NATO member - Turkey. I think that the international community should raise its voice to defend the rights of ethnic minorities and ensure the physical security of Armenians in Kesab," Abraamian said at a meeting with NATO Parliamentary Assembly political committee head Jose Lelo on Thursday.
The events in Kesab have also been discussed during a meeting between NATO Parliamentary Assembly and Armenian Foreign Minister Eduard Nalbandian.
Nalbandian drew the attention of the NATO the delegation to "the serious humanitarian situation," which emerged following the attack on Armenian villages of Kesab, the Armenian Foreign Ministry press office told Interfax.
The international community "should not remain indifferent to issues of serious human rights violations," Nalbandian said.
The issue of the Karabakh settlement was discussed during meetings in Yerevan as well and Yerevan is committed to peaceful resolutions for the problem, Abraamian said.
"War has never led to anything good anywhere. Despite our stance, Azerbaijan is constantly making hawkish statements at a very high level, which have recently become especially frequent," Abraamian said.
It is necessary to implement measures to enhance an atmosphere of trust between the parties at the contact line of opposing sides, Armenian Defense Minister Seyran Ohanian said at the meeting with NATO delegation.
The NATO delegation has met with Armenian President Serzh Sargsian as well.
On March 25 the Armenian parliament delegation went to Syria in order to study the situation on site regarding Armenians-populated Kesab.
A group of six deputies will be in Latakia, where most Kesab Armenians have been evacuated, Abraamian said.
"Upon their return the deputies will present the situation there to the Armenian parliament," Abraamian said.
The situation in Kesab, which is located on the border with Turkey, is alarming, the Armenian Foreign Ministry said.
"We are concerned about the situation there. The Armenian population of Kesab has been evacuated to Latakia. The Foreign Ministry is watching the situation develop and is trying to find possible ways for assistance," Armenian Foreign Ministry spokesman Tigran Balaian told Interfax.