YEREVAN. April 24 (Interfax) - Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan said the goal of Yerevan's policies is to form effective mechanisms to prevent new crimes against humanity.
"We will form effective mechanisms to prevent new crimes against humanity worldwide," Sargsyan said at the Armenian genocide memorial event.
Sargsyan said massive arrests of Armenian intelligentsia who lived in the Ottoman Empire began on this day 100 years ago, which marked the beginning of the genocide of Armenians.
"What happened in 1915 was unprecedented in terms of scale and consequences. Armenians were driven away and destroyed according to a plan developed at the state level. Human language cannot convey what the whole nation experienced. However, some people survived and passed on the historical testament from generation to generation," Sargsyan said.
Sargsyan said the Armenian Apostolic Church beautified the victims of the Armenian Genocide on Thursday.
He also recalled the crimes committed in other regions of the world.
Sargsyan said recognition of the genocide is a victory of conscience over intolerance.
The Armenian president also expressed his appreciation to the countries and international organizations that have recognized the genocide of Armenians, including the presidents of Russia, France, Cyprus and Serbia who are attending the ceremony.