Armenians will always expect U.S. President to utter the word “genocide”, Armenian leader Serzh Sargsyan said at a joint press conference with President of Swiss Confederation Micheline Calmy-Rey in Yerevan.

“We want U.S. President to give precise assessment of the past events. I, personally, asked U.S. President to do it. However, wish and reality are different things. It is better when wishes coincide with reality,” he said.   

President Sargsyan said he would like wish of Armenian people to be fulfilled. Even if it doesn’t happen Serzh Sargsyan urged not to sink into despair and continue efforts, stressing role of the media.

On April 24, 2010 U.S. President Barack Obama went back on his campaign pledge not using the word “genocide” in his speech on the occasion of the Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day.

The fact of the Armenian Genocide is recognized by many states. It was first recognized in 1965 by Uruguay. In general, the Armenian Genocide in Ottoman Turkey has already been recognized by 21 countries and 43 out of 50 U.S. states.

Turkey denies accusations of mass killings of Armenians during the First World War and is extremely sensitive to criticism voiced by the western states.