YEREVAN. - On behalf of Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan, state reception was held in honor of the Czech Republic President Miloš Zeman at the Presidential Palace Wednesday.

According to the ritual, during the state dinner the presidents of both countries made  mutual toasts, during which they referred to the results of the Czech Republic President's official visit to Armenia, prospects for the development of interstate relations, issues on the Armenian-Czech bilateral agenda concerning the most diverse areas, the historical links of both peoples, as well as the role of the Armenian community of the Czech Republic in the enhancement of friendship between the two countries and peoples.

''It is a well-know fact that the stable and long-term interstate relations are based on mutual respect and friendship traditions between the peoples, which are acquired also through the development and enhancement of humanitarian, cultural and educational ties.

In this context, I am pleased to mention the resumption of teaching Armenological subjects at Charles University. I am sure that this will allow the Czech youth to get in touch with the Armenian culture, as well as to better learn about the Armenian people and their traditions.

As the renowned pedagogue and humanist Jan Amos Komenský put it, ''School is the smithy of humanity.'' The Armenian people very well realize the depth of these words, since they have not once risked their lives during our centuries-old history to save the valuable manuscripts in order to teach and develop the coming generations by them.

I hope that the Armenian students will also soon have an opportunity to deal with the Czech language.

The wish to study the Czech language and culture is due to the fact that Armenia knows and loves the sons of the Czech people - Hašek, Kafka, Dvořák, Smetana and others - whose immortal works continue to admire and educate new generations of humanity. And it is not surprising that the Czech Republic, and especially Prague, have always been the favorite tourist destinations for Armenians,'' President Sargsyan said in his toast.

In the mutual toast, President Miloš Zeman drank to the happy future of Armenia, noting that he would like to reflect on what unites Armenia and the Czech Republic.  

''Today after the lunch, a young Czech journalist, who has enough life experience, asked me where the limit of genocide ends. I responded to him: ''My young friend, I am giving [just] one example: During the World War 6 million Jews were killed at concentration camps, gas chambers, etc. in Europe, but several thousands, or possibly several dozens and thousands survived. And you want to say that this is not a genocide, since several thousands have survived? This is also the case with the Armenian Genocide. Certain people say that some people survived, and [therefore] this is not a genocide. Absolute nonsense!'' I'd like to say that we are united by a fate, since my people would have been doomed to genocide if the Nazi Germany had won during the World War,'' the Czech President said, stressing that those who deny that Genocide are exactly those who deny the Holocaust.

President Zeman also noted that the people who deny this are simply cowards. ''Mr President, I have never been an amiable political figure. They are merely cowards. They speak about human rights; for some people the most important right is to protest in front of the government. Protests have been staged against me and other figures as well, and this is normal. But this is not the most important right. The most important human right is the right to live. And all those who deny that right have no right to speak about other human rights. I'd like to drink to the right to life,'' Miloš Zeman said.