YEREVAN. - Recognition of the Armenian Genocide in Ottoman Turkey is an issue settled long ago, Chairman of the National Self-Determination Union Paruir Hayrikyan told journalists April 24.

“The ones that recognized the Armenian Genocide have recognized it, and the ones that did not are criminal participators,” Hayrikyan said.

But for the Genocide, Armenia would now be one of the regional leaders with an area of 250,000 sq. kilometers and population of 30,000,000, Hayrikyan said.

During World War I, the Turkish authorities accused Armenians of showing favor to Russia and used it as a pretext for declaring the Armenian population the nation’s enemy. Many historians consider the events in 1915-1923 as a state-sponsored massacre, genocide. The Armenian side claims over 1.5 million victims, 50% of the Armenians early in the 20th century.

Many states have recognized the Armenian Genocide. Uruguay was the first to do it in 1965. The Armenian Genocide has since been recognized by Russia, France, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, Poland, Lithuania, Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland, Greece, Cyprus, Lebanon, Canada, Venezuela, Argentina, as well as by 42 of the U.S. states. The Armenian Genocide has also been recognized by Vatican, the European Parliament, and World Church Council.

The Committee on Foreign Affairs of the U.S. House of Representatives approved an Armenian Genocide resolution on March 4.