YEREVAN. – President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan awarded the Bundestag deputy Christoph Bergner with the Mkhitar Gosh medal for his contribution to the international recognition of the Armenian Genocide in the Ottoman Empire.

“This is my first award received in Armenia. I accepted it on behalf of all my colleagues from the parliament who voted for this decision,” Christoph Bergner admitted in a conversation with journalists after the awarding ceremony.

He added that the recognition of the Armenian Genocide by the German Bundestag was a long process, which finally ended last year, and only a few people voted against this decision.

“Last year, finally, the decision was made, and this decision is a contribution to the recognition of historical truth. It can become a basis for reconciliation, because reconciliation cannot be based on lies and on trying to escape from reality,” the MP said.

He added that in the future he intends to continue his activities and contribute to the development of relations between Germany and Armenia.

On June 2, 2016, the German Bundestag adopted a resolution recognizing the Armenian Genocide.