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Armenia appreciates the stance of the Portuguese parliament on the Armenian Genocide, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Monday.

“Armenia values the position expressed by the Assembly of Portugal on the Armenian Genocide and is grateful for the tribute to the Armenian Genocide victims.

“We agree that memory is an important element of reconciliation between peoples and protection of fundamental human values,” reads the statement.

The parliament of Portugal voted overwhelmingly on Friday to recognize the Armenian Genocide, saying in a resolution passed by the Assembly that “the systematic extermination by the Ottoman authorities directed at the Armenian minority in its territory is considered by the international community of historians as the first genocide of the twentieth century.”

“This remembrance should serve as a lesson for our time, because, given the current level of nationalism, xenophobia and intolerance worldwide, it is essential to remember the tragedies of the past. It is also through the culture of memory that the Assembly is committed to upholding human rights and emphasize the importance of strengthening dialogue among peoples, religions, cultures and civilizations,” the resolution said.