Statement by Serzh Sargsyan, President of the Republic of Armenia, on the International Holocaust Remembrance Day

The genocide committed against the Jews during the World War II was truly one of the cruelest and most tragic pages in the human history. January 27th that symbolizes the liberation of the Auschwitz concentration camp, became one of the most important thresholds in putting an end to the evil of Holocaust.

Paying tribute to the victims of Holocaust and the condemnation of that crime is relevant as long as various expressions of hatred and intolerance based on national or racial origin, and religious background continue to reappear, and as long as the threat of recurrence of such crimes against humanity has not dissipated.

It is an unequivocal truth that consigning victims of genocides to oblivion and denial, particularly on the State-level, is a stage of that crime. That is a double crime committed both against the innocent victims and the current and future times. Perhaps, it might have been possible to prevent the crimes committed under the veil of World War II had the crimes against humanity committed during the World War I earned unequivocal international condemnation, and had those responsible for them been duly punished.

Once again I pay tribute to the memory of the innocent victims of Holocaust and express our support and solidarity to the Jewish people, and the Jewish Community of Armenia. This year Armenian people are commemorating the Centennial of the Armenian Genocide, and we more than anyone empathize with the pain of the Jewish people.

I reiterate our commitment to jointly struggle for the prevention of the crimes against humanity being determined to proclaim “never again”.