YEREVAN, MAY 19, ARMENPRESS. Representatives of ethnic minorities of Armenia paid tribute to the memory of the victims of the Pontic Genocide at Tsitsernakaberd memorial complex.

ARMENPRESS reports, 3 MPs representing ethnic minorities, as well as Vice President of the National Assembly Eduard Sharmazanov and MP tachat Vardapetyan also visited Tsitsernakaberd.

The minority representatives and the MPs laid flowers at the eternal fire.

In an interview with the reporters, Eduard Sharmazanov reminded that in 2015 the parliament of Armenia unanimously recognized the Genocide of the Pontic Greeks. “It is a great honor for me to have been the keynote speaker. At the same time we implemented much work with our Greek and Cypriot partners and carried out successful struggle against denialism. Both Greece and Cyprus have condemned Turkish denialism, but this is not enough. We have to manage to combine the power of Greek, Assyrian and Armenian communities in the diaspora and the unity of our countries against Turkish denialism”, Sharmazanov said.  

According to him, as far as there is denialism, there is the threat that new genocides will take place. “Moreover, the massacres of Sumgayit in 1988, the atrocities of Azerbaijan during the April war against both civilians and servicemen are the consequence of the Turkish denialism. One thing is clear – we are a struggling people and have to struggle. We will win because God is with us and because our struggle is not against something, but for the sake of freedom and protection of human rights”, the Vice President of the parliament said.

On March 24, 2015 the Armenian Parliament unanimously adopted a declaration condemning the Greek and Assyrian genocides in the Ottoman Empire. 117 MPs voted for the adoption of the declaration. The Pontic Genocide has been officially recognized and condemned also by Greece, Cyprus and Sweden.

ENGLISH: Editor/Translator – Tigran Sirekanyan