Below is an excerpt of an interview give by RoA President Serzh Sargsyan to "Russia Today" TV.

=Mr. President, my first question that I'd like to direct to you is the following. As the President of the Republic of Armenia, what meaning does April 24 hold for you?

-The history of the Armenian people is recorded in terms of thousands of years. During the course of that history we have had victories and defeats, achievements and losses, but there is a watershed point in our history. That date is April 24, 1915.

Subsequent to that date, we are dealing with a totally different state of affairs. Thousands, millions of people were living and creating on their native lands, but they were forcibly evicted from those lands. The bulk, of course, were killed, others fled and found refuge elsewhere. Today, there is not one corner of the globe where you will not find Armenians. In the Armenia of today, half of the population are the descendants of those who barely managed to survive those events. These are facts and we face them every day in our lives. If you travel 15 to 20 kilometers outside Yerevan you will encounter the last closed border in Europe. Armenia gained independence in 1991 and during the past 18 years the border has remained closed. I cite this example not to state that we have been subjected to a blockade, but in order that it becomes clear that for us, the reality of April 24, 1915, is an everyday fact of life. April 24 is officially recognized as Genocide Victims Commemoration Day. Even before it was officially marked as such, April 24 has always been a day of remembrance for our people. It is the same for me, one of the representatives of the Armenian people. However, as President of the Republic of Armenia, I am obliged to initiate steps that will mollify the consequences of that terrible crime and, of course, I am obligated to take measures to ensure that such crimes never happen again. The best way to ensure such an outcome is the international recognition of the 1915 Genocide.