President of Armenia: Recognition and condemnation of the Armenian Genocide is essential for lasting peace and stability in our region

President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian has sent a message on the occasion of the anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. This was reported by the presidential office.

The message states:

“Dear compatriots in Armenia, Artsakh, and the Diaspora,

Today we commemorate the eternal memory of the victims of the Armenian Genocide in the Ottoman Turkey of 1915. The pain of the immense human and territorial losses suffered by the Armenian people more than 100 years ago still resonates in our hearts, reminding us that the right of the Armenian people to live and develop peacefully and securely in their homeland has been violated—yesterday in the Ottoman Empire, today in Artsakh.

Unfortunately, in international and regional politics, the Armenian Genocide, and the Armenian question in general, is often attempted to be used by some as a tool to achieve various goals. However, the world must realize that the policy of silence, leaving the Armenian Genocide in the past, and especially the denial of it, has long outlived its usefulness; that genocide is a crime against all humanity, and that indifference and impunity give rise to new crimes. Such atrocities and their perpetrators must be named, and the crime and the criminal must be condemned.

Today's events once again prove that the recognition and condemnation of the Armenian Genocide are essential for ensuring lasting peace and stability in our region.

Dear compatriots,

The Armenian Genocide is the offspring of a relentless policy of intolerance, the latest manifestation of which was the Azerbaijani-Turkish war unleashed against Artsakh. On the 106th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, as we are still recovering from a heavy blow, we must cultivate the aspiration to have a strong, competitive, and intelligent Armenia. We can and must straighten our backs and stand firmly on our own land, remaining faithful to ourselves. Any encroachments on our national and moral values, on our identity, are unequivocally unacceptable.

As a united people and state, we must be able to take part in the developments happening in the world today, without retreating from our memory and legitimate demands. Bowing before the memory of our holy martyrs who fell victim to genocide, as the President of the Republic, I want to confidently state that through the joint efforts of the entire Armenian nation, we will achieve the realization of our national goals and will make Armenia the country of our dreams. May God protect us all.”