YEREVAN (Financial Mirror)–Cypriot President Demetris Christofias said Tuesday that recognition of the Armenian genocide by Turkey would have a liberating effect for the country and would show the world that the it is on a course of modernization and European integration.
Christofias added that the Republic of Cyprus will continue to support the Armenian people in their efforts to gain international recognition of the genocide.
The Cypriot president was speaking in Yerevan at the Dzidzernagapert Genocide Memorial complex, where he laid a wreath in memory of the 1.5 million Armenians annihilated by the Turkish Ottoman government in 1915-1923. He also placed two white carnations at the inextinguishable flame and observed a minute of silence, and then planted a tree at the museum of the monument in memory of the victims.
Speaking after the ceremony, Christofias said it was unacceptable that Turkey, which is aspiring to become an EU member and wishes to create a modern state, continues to refuse to recognize the Genocide.
He said Cyprus is continuing its own struggle to reunite the island, divided since the 1974 Turkish invasion, and wishes to cultivate good neighborly relations with Turkey. He added that Turkey should modernize its domestic and foreign policy in order to join the EU.
Christofias also signed the book of condolences at the memorial, in which he wrote that the condemnation of the Armenian genocide is a duty for the entire modern world to uphold.
Yes it has been over 94 years that the armenian genocide took place,and it is over due to show respect to the memory of the souls, and spirits of the 1.5 million armenians who perished during this genocide.Our historic land of over 4000 years has been taken along with over 1.5 million innocent people not to mention we have been uprooted from our historic land to live in the diaspora so our heritage,culture,and language would be taken from our people through integration.We must reverse the damage of the last 94 years by rebuilding what was stolen from us as I the grandson of the armenian genocide survivors am 43.9 years old, and feel that it has taken way too long for justice to be served.As armenians we must fight for the return of lands, and reparations along with interest for loss of our historic land for over 94 years.The armenians have witnessed persecution for over 900 years under the Ottoman Empire, and it is time to seek justice demanding it without conditional terms.Nothing no amount of money will make up for these 94 years of depriving us armenians out of our rights especially for 900 years of Ottoman occupation so we must demand justice now as we have waited long enough.I have spend over 20 years getting this armenian genocide resolution passed here in the U.S.A. and it is time for justice so the next generation can live vindicated from the crimes of these Turks against our people for so many centuries.
right on robert, but you are preaching to the choir. We are all Armenians and we all agree. We need to vent . So thats OK. But of no use. We need to contact those large and small churches of every denomination, and lobby them to start a grass roots crusade on behalf of the Armenian CHRISTIAN cause. Israel, was able to channel enough good will, where now you have christian organizations, running commercials for funds to relocate Russian Jews back to Israel. We think of ourselves as smart. Well, I think that we are child like next to the Machievellian moves that go on in politics.