Armenian MP at the Georgian Parliament Samvel Petrosyan has called on the authorities to recognize and condemn the Armenian Genocide.
Addressing the plenary session of the Parliament, he said events that took place in the Ottoman Empire 100 years ago are an enormous trauma for the Armenian nation.
“The genocide of Armenian has been recognized by many international organizations and states. We, as a democratic country, must acknowledge that fact, at least because the Ottoman Empire has occupied Georgian lands, as well. I’m sure that had the Armenian Genocide been condemned at the time, such crimes would not reoccur in different parts of the world. I urge everyone to recognize and condemn the genocide and thus, restore historical justice,” Gruzia Online quotes Petrosyan as saying.
In response to that, leader of the parliamentary majority Zviad Kvachantiradze declared that “no one should give in to the provocations coming from a malevolent neighbor.”
“Quite recently we witnessed an attempt to re-escalate a big, deep and sleeping conflict in the Caucasus. Fortunately, thanks to the efforts of the international community there seem no perspectives for the serious developments in the conflict, but we must remember that there are forces surrounding us interested in a constant war in the Caucasus, involving the countries of the South Caucasus. I urge everyone not to give in to provocations that could come from a malevolent neighbor,” Kvachantiradze declared
This is not the first rime the Armenian Genocide issue is being raised at the Georgian Parliament, but it flares hot discussions every time. Last year Samnvel Petrostyan’s speech on the topic was interrupted by ethnic Azerbaijani MP Azer Suleymanov from the United National Movement Party.
In 2012 Suleyman started a brawl, when Georgian MP Bagaturia called on his colleagues to recognize the Armenian Genocide. He even advised the Georgian lawmaker to change his surname to Bagaturyan.
