YEREVAN, DECEMBER 9, ARMENPRESS. Armenia must continue strengthening its leading role on recognition and condemnation of genocides, Vice Speaker of the Parliament Eduard Sharmazanov told ARMENPRESS in connection with the International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide and the Prevention of this Crime on December 9.

“On the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide Armenia announced that we need to take steps not only to condemn the Armenian Genocide, but the “genocide” phenomenon in general. Armenia is one of the leaders of the political campaign against genocide, if not the leader. The global forums against the genocide held in Armenia were directed towards this which is traditionally attended by MPs, political and scientific figures of different countries”, the Vice Speaker said, adding that Armenia should continue the steps on this path, holding both exhibitions and scientific discussions.

Eduard Sharmazanov recalled that the Armenian President announced during the 72nd UN General Assembly in September of this year that Armenia plans to hold different events in 2018 on the 70th anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration about the Condemnation of the Genocide. Sharmazanov also attached importance to the recognition of the Greek and Assyrian genocide by the Armenian Parliament. “We talk about this phenomenon in all Assemblies. I, as a Vice Speaker of the Parliament, have repeatedly urged my parliamentary colleagues during my meetings to unite against the genocide phenomenon, condemn both the Armenian Genocide and the genocides in general so that it will have a preventive role”, Sharmazanov said. He informed that he is going to visit Vilnius and Riga soon where the topic of the genocide will be among the issues of the foreign policy agenda.

According to the Vice Speaker, one of the main missions of Armenia is the fight against denialism since the concealment and justification of the genocide is also a crime like the implementation of the genocide. “In this regard we should continue our campaign against the genocide in political, scientific and all platforms. The Armenian people felt on themselves the worst consequences of the genocide phenomenon. On this matter we should seek to have the support of the entire civilized world and all states for which the human rights protection is a sacred duty so that we will together prevent new genocides by condemning the previous genocides”, he said.

He again repeated the simple truth according to which as long as you do not recognize and condemn the former crimes, the danger of their repetition always exists in the 21st century.

The Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide has been adopted by the UN General Assembly on December 9, 1948.