ARMENIA MARKS 90TH ANNIVERSARY OF GENOCIDE

2004-04-12 18:44

YEREVAN, 12 April (RIA Novosti correspondent Gamlet Matevosyan)
-Armenia will hold measures from may 2004 to May 2005 dedicated to the
90th anniversary of the genocide of Armenians conducted by the Ottoman
Empire.

RIA Novosti learned in the Armenian government’s PR and press
department that a program of events had been discussed by a state
commission chaired by Prime Minister Andranik Markaryan.

In line with the program, from April 20 to 23 2005, Yerevan will host
an international academic conference on the genocide.

International conferences will also be held in Russia, the USA, Europe
and the Middle East.

Armenia’s foreign ministry has instructed its embassies in various
countries to work out and present their lists of functions to
commemorate the 90th anniversary by the end of May.

Work will also be conducted to identify whether of nor international
organizations acknowledge that the genocide took place and whether or
not countries are prepared to recognize and condemn this crime at the
state level.

The Armenian government is planning to take measures to raise the
international community’s awareness of the Armenians’ genocide, in
particular, by distributing books and leaflets about it.

Many countries have acknowledged the 1915 genocide of the Armenians in
the Ottoman Empire. Uruguay was the first in 1965, while Russia,
France, Argentina, Greece, Italy and Switzerland have also officially
done so.