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“In May 1915 France, Great Britain and Russia adopted a Joint Declaration evaluating what was happening with the Armenian people as crime against humanity. It was the first time when the notion of crimes against humanity and civilization entered the historical records,” the President of French Republic François Hollande said in his address at the commemoration event at the Tsitsernakaberd Memorial dedicated to the Armenian Genocide Centennial.

President Hollande said in his statement that France adopted part of those surviving Armenians that only had themselves and their memory as the only luggage. “They were looking for a new homeland. And they defended that new homeland with greatest courage when they were subject of Nazi attacks. With their talents and genius they contributed to the prosperity of France after the Second World War, yet they have done it through preserving their memory and identity.”

The French President remembered those academicians, workers, doctors, artists, statesmen and community leaders, those who are equally Armenians and French and who unite Armenia and France, such as Charles Aznavour, who is a common pride of both nations, according to Hollande.

“We acknowledge, that it was because of annihilation of 1.5mln Armenians a century ago that the notion of genocide emerged. Lemkin coined the term of genocide in 1944. Since 2001 France recognized the Armenian Genocide with the full power of law. The 2001 law was a necessary act of truth, since only truth is capable of relieving the pain, pacify those who are present, and pay the tribute of those perished,” Hollande said.

President Hollande mentioned that France is standing up against the denialism, since doing otherwise would mean committing the atrocities again. He also condemned the terrorist acts taking place in the Middle East nowadays that results in deaths among Muslims and Christians alike, including Syrian Armenians.

“It is crucial to be in Yerevan today and call upon everyone to protect minorities, especially the Christians on the East who are the wealth of the Middle East. We are obliged to bring our solidarity and support, we must protect all the democratic nations in order to have a common future in this region,” said Hollande in his statement.

He remarked that France wants to contribute to the reconciliation, too, since memory shall not be used for creating divisions, but for reunion. The French President expressed his hopes that the Armenian-Turkish border will be unsealed in the near future.

“The Centennial of the Armenian Genocide is dedicated to peace, for Armenia, the region and the whole world. The Centennial is a call to peace and reconciliation... I reiterate that France alongside all its partners will do everything possible in reaching peaceful settlements. This is the Yerevan's address – peace to all, peace to the memory of the victims, the memory of those that survived, to the Middle East and the region. The recognition of the Armenian Genocide is an act of peace,” President Hollande concluded.