Greek Genocide Commemorated in Armenia
May 19 is the 100th anniversary of the Greek genocide of the Ottoman Empire (Pontic Genocide). Representatives of the Greek community of Armenia, several National Assembly MPs, representatives of the Armenian police and Ministry of Emergency Situations visited Tsitsernakaberd Memorial Complex to respect the memory of the victims of the Greek genocide.
Deputy Parliament Speaker Eduard Sharmazanov said together with the Armenian genocide Christian Greeks and Assyrians were also committed to genocide in the Ottoman, later Kemalist Turkey in 1916-1923. “According to different calculations, nearly 357.000-550.000 Greeks became the victims of the genocide. This is a genocide, which was adopted by the declaration on March 24, 2015 condemning the Greek genocide committed by the Ottoman Turkey”, Sharmazanov stated.
He added that Turkey today also continues its denial policy. “Today’s Turkey continues its criminal policy. Turkey supports both the “Islamic State” and Azerbaijan, keeps Armenia in blockade. All this shows that since the perpetrator of that crime has not been punished yet, there is a danger of new genocides. We call the world that we should end double standards, we should fight against Turkish denial policy. Only in this case we will not have new Erdogans and Aliyevs. Today we should manage to unite all the efforts of people who were committed to genocides”, Sharmazanov stated.
He stated that Armenians, as well as Greeks have two states Armenia and the NKR, Greece and Cyprus. “We should be united in the international platforms. Today evening I depart for Athens. I will meet the Defense Minister, head of the Parliament, will participate in the commemoration ceremonies and will deliver speeches. The aim is the following to unite our efforts in the Parliamentarian and international platforms against not only the past, but also today’s genocidal policy which is committed by Turkey and Azerbaijan. Greeks have already showed that they are the brothers of the Armenian people. During and after four-day war, several foreign delegations who came and visited Yerablur and the Nagorno Karabakh were from Greece. We should unite in order not to let the repetition of crimes committed a century ago. And we will not let it. Today we have 4 independent states: Armenia, the Nagorno Karabakh, Greece and Cyprus. The unity of these four states will lead to the destruction of Turkish denial policy”, Sharmazanov concluded.
Greek Ambassador to Armenia Ioannis Taghis said May 19 is the 100th anniversary of the Greek genocide. “Today we remember and pay tribute to the memory of the victims of the Greek genocide. These tragic events started in 1916 and continued until 1923. Nearly 350.000 Greeks living in the Ottoman Empire were killed and were exiled during that time. The Genocides of Armenians and Greeks which has been committed at the same period, are one of most tragic events in the history of mankind”, Ambassador stated.
He recalled that last year the Armenian Parliament recognized and condemned the Greek genocide in the Ottoman Empire. Ambassador said this shows the unity of the Armenian and Greek people, their friendly relations and their determination to fight. Ambassador highlighted that everyone should remember and condemn the Armenian and Greek genocides and take steps to not let such crimes repeat.
On March 24, 2015 the Armenian Parliament unanimously adopted a declaration condemning the Greek and Assyrian genocides in the Ottoman Empire. 118 MPs voted for the adoption of the declaration.
