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On May 19, the RA NA Deputy Speaker Eduard Sharmazanov, the Secretary of the RA NA RPA Faction Gagik Melikyan, deputy Margarit Yesayan, representatives of the Embassy of Hellenic Republic to the RA, the Chairman of the Union of the Greek NGOs in Armenia Arkady Khitarov, clergymen and representatives of the Greek community of Armenia visited Tsitsernakaberd.

On behalf of the legislative body of Armenia Eduard Sharmazanov laid a wreath to the Armenian Genocide monument.

Those present laid flowers at the eternal fire and bowed in silence honouring the memory of the innocent victims of the genocide perpetrated against Pontian Greeks by Ottoman Turkey on the territory of Asia Minor in 1915-1923.

His Eminence Nathan Archbishop Hovhannisyan of Holy See Echmiadzin offered commemoration liturgy for the repose of the innocent victims’ soul.

Condemning the crime committed by Ottoman Turkey at the beginning of the 20^th century, Eduard Sharmazanov noted: “This is also a day of revival. We’ll do our best to prevent reoccurrence of such crimes against humanity so that they are never repeated. An evidence of this is the existence of two Greek and two Armenian states.The Armenian authorities will do their utmost to reach international condemnation of genocides against Christian nations, and we have to combine our efforts, because the denial of genocide is as dangerous as its perpetration.”

In 1994, the Hellenic Parliament recognized and condemned the genocide of more than 600 thousand Pontian Greeks. Many of those who survived from the Turkish sword found refuge in Armenia and integrated into the social-economic and political life of our country.

The Chairman of the Union of the Greek NGOs in Armenia Arkady Khitarov considered symbolic the incensing of the memory of the Pontian Greeks, his compatriots, as the Armenian people were the first to be massacred. Condemning those perpetrating the genocide, he expressed hope that in future the progressive mankind will recognize and denounce the tragedy occurred against Christians on the territory of Asia Minor in 1915-1923.

The genocide of Pontian Greeks has been recognized by Armenia, Greece, Cyprus, Sweden and the Republic of Artsakh.

Let us note that today, before beginning the sitting, the RA NA deputies of the sixth convocation paid tribute to the memory of the Pontian Greek Genocide victims observing a one-minute silence.