On December 14, an international conference dedicated to Genocide issues, in particular the Armenian Genocide in the Ottoman Empire, opened in Yerevan. The conference brought together experts and scientists from different countries, in particular Europe, Turkey and Israel.

Opening the conference President Sargsyan said, “Today, more than ever before, there is a necessity to develop effective mechanisms to prevent genocide. Lack of international mechanisms to prevent genocide, genocide denial by various regimes, impunity and indifference to genocide allows for the recurrence of such crimes.”

President Sargsyan considers that the political situation and interests prevail over fair intention to recognize the Armenian Genocide. Today, the international community must display the will to recognize and condemn genocides. “However, we are presently faced with such a phenomenon as creating a new falsified history. Different regimes try to prove the fact of genocide that was allegedly perpetrated against their nations. They think that they can impose their fake history on the world community. But imposing genocide on their nation is not a manifestation of patriotism. Trying to conceal their own guilt means to commit a new crime,” Serzh Sargsyan stressed.

The Armenian President also noted that genocides generate political intolerance of certain regimes, expressing confidence that such conferences will help to make political decisions to prevent genocides. These events are also important to develop the concept of legal consequences for genocide.

“On the eve of the100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, we will continue voicing the issue to prevent the reoccurrence of such crimes worldwide,” he concluded.