French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday addressed a message to President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian on the occasion of 24 April – the Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day.
The message released by the presidential office reads:
“Mr. President,
We stand by You to remember 24 April, 1915 in Constantinople and the massacre of 600 Armenian intellectuals, which marked the beginning of the first genocide of the 20th century. We will never forget the slaughtered men, women and children, who died of starvation, cold, and exhaustion on the way to exile.
France, which condemned the Armenian massacres in the Ottoman Empire in the persons of Georges Clemenceau, Anatole France and Jean Jaurès, hosted large numbers of survivors.
France, along with Great Britain and Russia, characterized the massacres as a crime against humanity and civilization back on May 25, 1915. In September 2015 the French navy, under fire, managed to save 4,000 refugees from Musa Dagh.
The memory of the Genocide and the meaning of its lessons refers to each of us. On the 103rd anniversary of the Armenian Genocide I address my warmest and friendly thoughts to You and Your people.
Please, Mr. President, accept the assurance of my highest consideration.”