Armenia to continue genocide recognition and condemnation actions – president

Sargsyan praised the support of the global community in the framework of the Armenian genocide centenary, particularly mentioning the criminalization of the Armenian genocide by the parliaments of Greece and Cyprus, its recognition by the parliaments of Austria, Bolivia, Chile and Luxembourg, the resolutions adopted by the European Parliament and Russia’s State Duma, as well as the landmark speech by the German president, who acknowledged the 1915 killings of Armenians by Ottoman Turks as genocide. 

The president said the statement made by Pope Francis had a ‘sobering up effect’ on many people. 

The Holy Mass delivered by the Pope served not only to recognize the genocide, but also to appreciate the Armenians’ merit and contribution to the world’s civilization, the president said. 

The Armenian Genocide was the first genocide of the twentieth century. 

According to Armenian and many other historians, up to 1.5 million Armenians were killed starting in 1915 in a systematic campaign by the government of Turkey. 

Turkey has been denying it for decades. 

The Armenian Genocide was recognized by tens of countries. The first was Uruguay that did so in 1965. Other nations are Russia, France, Italy, Germany, Holland, Belgium, Poland, Lithuania, Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland, Greece, Cyprus, Lebanon, Canada, Venezuela, Argentina, 43 U.S. states. It was recognized also by the Vatican, the European Parliament, the World Council of Churches and other international organizations. –0--