YEREVAN — The 100th anniversary of the Genocide of Pontic Greeks was commemorated in Armenia today. 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.
Eduard Sharmazanov, Vice-Speaker of the National Assembly of Armenia, stated that the Armenians and the Greeks need to fight together at international platforms, to achieve recognition of the first genocides of the 20th century.
“Greeks understand the Armenian pain and the Greek MPs were among the first to visit Yerablu Pantheon and Artsakh after the four-day military actions unleashed by Azerbaijan,” Sharmazanov said.
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.
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”, the Ambassador stated.
The Chairman of “Patrida” organization of Greeks in Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh Edward Polatov noted that the same genocidal country stood behind the April military actions. He stressed that the international community should condemn the genocides committed at the turn of the 20th century instead of closing its eyes.
The Armenian National Assembly unanimously condemned the Greek Genocide in 2015.
The atrocities against the Pontian Greeks started in 1916 and continued until 1923. Nearly 350.000 Greeks living in the Ottoman Empire were killed and were exiled during that time.
