The delegation led by the National Assembly Speaker Hovik Abrahamian and composed of Head of Armenia-Germany Friendship Group Artak Davtian, Head of the NA Staff Gegham Gharibjanian, and Armenia’s Ambassador to Germany Armen Martirosian is on a working visit to Germany. On September 26 the delegation visited House Museum of Johannes Lepsius in Potsdam where they met with the staff of the House Museum. The life and activities of J. Lepsius were presented in detail to the delegation members. It should be noted that Johannes Lepsius was a German public figure, Orientalist and Protestant missionary with a special interest in trying to prevent the Armenian Genocide in the Ottoman Empire. He condemned the Turkish authorities’ actions aimed at annihilating Armenians and he demanded that the German government should make efforts to stop the Armenian massacres. Lepsius participated in protests against Armenian massacres, underlining in his speeches that this crime was committed by the Turkish government led by the sultan. In the House Museum, Hovik Abrahamian was presented with J. Lepsius’ work “Report on the Situation of the Armenian People in Turkey”. According to the press service of the RA National Assembly, H. Abrahamian told those present that the role of J. Lepsius in initiating the process of international recognition of the Armenian Genocide is invaluable. In his words, the Armenian people remembers Lepsius with appreciation as he was the first person to raise his voice in his works and articles against mass killings of the Armenians in the Ottoman Empire. Hovik Abrahamian expressed hope that the first genocide committed at the beginning of the 20th century will be recognized and condemned universally. “The recognition and condemnation of the Armenian Genocide is the problem of not only the Armenian people, but also the international community - for the reason that not being recognized and condemned at the time, it paved the way for other genocides and ethnic cleansing in various parts of the world in the 20th century. So we consider the recognition and condemnation of the Armenian Genocide by the international community and especially by Turkey, the legal successor to the Ottoman Empire, as the best guarantee of prevention of such crimes”. He said that recognition of the Armenian Genocide is also important for improving the atmosphere of mutual trust between the two neighboring countries and in the region. “Turkey must follow Germany’s suit that recognized Holocaust as a historic fact. Turkey must recognize the Armenian Genocide,” H. Abrahamian stated. He said that on the initiative of Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan, an attempt was made to improve relations between Armenia and Turkey, without preconditions. The protocols on opening the borders and establishment of diplomatic relations were signed in Zurich. “Unfortunately, Turkey was not prepared and it is not prepared now to carry this process to its logical completion: after the signing of the protocols, it put forward some preconditions unacceptable to the Armenian side. At the same time I consider it necessary to note that in its efforts to improve relations with Turkey, Armenia has never called into question the Armenian Genocide. The international community knows that Armenia has always taken constructive initiatives,” Hovik Arahamian said. At the end of the meeting the NA speaker made notes in the book of honorary guests. NA Speaker Hovik Abrahamian will meet with President of the Bundestag Norbert Lammert on September 27. On the evening of the same day the Armenian delegation will attend a concert and an official reception dedicated to the 20th anniversary of Armenia’s independence. The events will be held in the Big Concert Hall in Berlin.

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