Adoption of the bill criminalizing genocide denials is an important mechanism to prevent new crimes against humanity, Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian told reporters on Wednesday.

He called adoption of the bill “an important step” which can be not only welcomed by supported by other countries, AFP reports.

“The first thing we have to do is turn a page in our common history with Turkey, not through denial but through recognition of the Armenian genocide. We do hope very much that there will come a day when Turkey itself recognises the Armenian genocide,” he said during his visit to Latvia.

In his turn, Latvian Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkevics stressed that there is an issue “where we understand the pain of the Armenian people”. However, Latvian FM noted that the discussion of the past should be held “in an academic rather than politicized environment.”

Edward Nalbandian has left for a visit to Latvia and Lithuania on January 25.