Cyprus parliament speaker slams Turkey's Armenian Genocide denial![]() April 24, 2016 - 14:33 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Cyprus’ House President Yiannakis Omirou said on Saturday, April 23 that “all civilized states should recognize the Armenian Genocide to avert similar crimes against humanity,” addressing a gathering at Nicosia’s Armenian church to mark the 101st anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, Sigma Live reports. Omirou condemned Turkey’s policy of ethnic cleansing and expansionist designs, saying that “dealing successfully with such policies will protect ethnic groups which Ankara's chauvinism is trying to eliminate.” In his address, Omirou reiterated Cyprus' solidarity with the Armenian people, in their struggle to have the Genocide recognized by the international community, adding that “Armenians in Cyprus are part and parcel of the history and the struggles of the people of Cyprus and identify with the civilisation and traditions of the country in addition to contributing to the political, economic and social life.” Recalling that April 24 has been designated as a day to commemorate the Armenian Genocide, Omirou referred to the ruthless methods Ottoman Turks had applied to wipe out Armenians, “who remain to this day a nation with a history, culture, civilization and great achievements.” Omirou recalled that the House has adopted numerous resolutions recognizing and condemning the Genocide and brandishing its denial as a criminal offense, Sigma Live says. ![]() ![]() The Armenian Genocide The Armenian Genocide (1915-23) was the deliberate and systematic destruction of the Armenian population of the Ottoman Empire during and just after World War I. It was characterized by massacres and deportations, involving forced marches under conditions designed to lead to the death of the deportees, with the total number of deaths reaching 1.5 million. ![]() ![]() Artsakh's independence cannot be a bargaining chip, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia Aram I told an Easter mass. The United Kingdom is calling both Armenia and Azerbaijan to work towards a de-escalation in Nagorno-Karabakh. Simonyan said the situation in Karabakh is very tense, referring to Azerbaijan's recent incursion into a populated area In the past two days, Azerbaijan has been using drones and other munitions to attack Nagorno-Karabakh. ![]() ![]() Partner news | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |