French President Emmanuel Macron has addressed an April 24 message to Armenian President Armen Sarkissian. The message reads:
“Mr. President,
We stand by You to remember the April 24, 1915 in Constantinople and the killing of 600 Armenian intellectuals, which marked the start of the first genocide of the 20th century. We will never forget the murdered men, women and children, who died of hunger, cold and agony on their way to exile.
France, which deplored the Armenian massacres in the Ottoman Empire with the voices of Georges Clemenceau, Anatole France and Jean Jaurès, hosted а great number of survivors.
As early as May 25, 1915, France, along with Great Britain and Russia, called the massacres a crime against humanity and civilization. In September 2015 the French navy 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 this 103rd anniversary of the Armenian Genocide I address my warmest and most friendly thoughts to You and Your people.
Please, accept, Mr. President, the assurance of my highest consideration.”
