Russian Armenian businessman Samvel Karapetyan, the Strong Armenia party chairman who is still in house arrest in Armenia, on Friday issued a message on the occasion of the 111th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.

The message reads as follows:

"My dear Armenian people,

Strong Armenian people who have gone through many tragedies, but have stood up again. Today, we are all united by one sorrow and one pain: the Armenian Genocide. We are the descendants of those Armenians who became victims of the most serious crime against humanity: genocide.

We are witnesses to a painful and unbelievable reality for Armenians: today's leaders of Armenia are attempting to justify the perpetrators of the Armenian Genocide; moreover, they are attempting to put an equality sign between the victim and the executioner. And they openly declare that the international recognition of the Armenian Genocide is no longer one of our foreign policy priorities.

But they forget or ignore one important circumstance: the weak like them come and go, but the historical recollection of the Armenian people remains. It is eternal. That recollection is in our genetic code.

At the same time, we are very clearly aware that we cannot change our geography, our neighbors. Regional stability and peace are a priority to us. The rapid development of Armenia's economy has no other option. Therefore, having closed borders in the twenty-first century cannot but affect the natural development of the country. We are in favor of establishing and maintaining diplomatic relations with Turkey, based on the fundamental principles of international law and without compromising historical truth and national dignity.

A nation that has no recollection is like a tree without roots, which is broken and toppled in a very short time. But we are not that nation, we are like that thousand-year-old oak, whose roots are very deep in the ground. We are firmly attached to our land.

Dear compatriots,

History leaves us no other option than to be strong. We see that when we are weak and head-bowed, the evils that befall us become more severe. And it was during the reign of those weak and incapable authorities that we witnessed the loss of our second homeland: our wonderful Artsakh [(Nagorno-Karabakh)].

We will no longer allow ourselves to be slaughtered. A strong and wise leader is the one who foresees tragedy and prevents it, and not one who interprets what has happened and attempts to find excuses.

Today, with our compatriots in the Diaspora, our sisters and brothers, and with Armenians around the world, we join hands and set before us one goal: to have a Strong Armenia.

We will no longer be weak.”