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Armenian president says genocide recognition remains on country's agenda
YEREVAN
The recognition of the Armenian genocide by the world community remains on Armenia's foreign policy agenda as an expression of the legal and just expectations of the entire Armenian people, Armenian President Robert Kocharyan has said in an appeal in connection with the 86th anniversary of the Armenian genocide at the beginning of the 20th century in Ottoman Turkey.
This greatest tragedy in the history of the Armenian people has strongly influenced their future, and its consequences are felt even today when mankind is entering the third millennium with bright new hopes for deeper international cooperation, the appeal says. However, the crime that was committed at the beginning of the 20th century in Ottoman Turkey was directed against humanity, and this fact should be given an appropriate assessment by the world community. Back in that same 20th century, the world had to taste the bitter fruit of trying to assign these deeds to oblivion, by experiencing similar crimes, the appeal notes.
The task of obtaining global recognition of the Armenian genocide is explained not only by the desire of the Armenian people to restore historical justice, but also by their sincere wish for normal relations with all neighbours, for establishing stability in the region and the development of regional cooperation.
By bowing to the memory of the innocent victims of the genocide, the Armenians of the world are today demonstrating the will to create a free and prosperous fatherland that occupies its own place in the international family, a country looking towards the future rather than being a hostage to the past, the Armenian president's appeal stresses.
As is known, a whole host of countries, including France, Russia, Greece,
Italy, Lebanon and others, have recognized the historical fact of the 1915
genocide of Armenians by the Ottoman empire. The European Parliament
assesses Turkey's refusal to recognize this fact as one of the most serious obstacles
to this country's integration into the European family.
Armenian, Assyrian and Hellenic Genocide News Archives