Mr Mayor,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Dear Friends,

As it became a tradition in the past years, we are gathered today at the Paris City Hall, to jointly pay tribute to the memory of the victims of the Armenian Genocide of 1915, perpetrated in the Ottoman Empire.
For me this is also an opportunity to thank the Municipality of Paris, and you personally Mr Mayor, for the initiation of this traditional commemoration ceremony.
The commemoration of the first but, unfortunately, not the last genocide of 20th century gives us a common responsibility before the next generations not to allow the future of mankind to be marred by crimes against humanity, to ensure their condemnation and prevention in conformity with the resolutions adopted within the framework of the United Nations.

History has various examples of will and determination of nations and statesmen, who have reconciled with their past. And they came out of that ordeal with more might and strength. Today, they are honored for their wisdom and courage, which has allowed their nations to regain their dignity and gave the world a hope for a better future.   

We all remember the highly symbolic scene, when at the l’Ossuaire de Douaumont President François Mitterrand and Chancellor Helmut Kohl stood hand in the hand in front of the tombs of the German and French soldiers, who perished in the three deadly wars between 1870 and 1945. 
Attaching particular importance to the lessons of history, the two leaders were conscious of their obligation before their peoples to help them to overcome the anguish of the past and together build a peaceful and prosperous future.
On many an occasion, they demonstrated a will to act to bring reconciliation to France and Germany, to all European nations exhausted by centuries of warfare and hatred. The best illustration was setting of the foundation for the new Europe. Like their great predecessors – President de Gaulle and Chancellor Adenauer - they won the recognition of their peoples and forever entered the history of mankind. 
Having reemerged from many fratricidal and deadly wars, having built a united and reconciled destiny for its nations, Europe again became a source of light and of wisdom for the mankind. Europe showed the way to peace that gives peoples dignity and confidence in the future.
I hope that the day will come, when Armenian and Turkish leaders will pay joint tribute to the memory of the victims of the Armenian Genocide and our peoples, liberated from the burden of their past, will together build a better future. 
I hope and I believe, that the future of our peoples cannot be ensured without this reconciliation, since the way forward is not that to forget but to acknowledge and to remember. Only by turning together the dark page of our history, shall we be able to look into our future with serenity and confidence.
I hope and I believe, and I have confidence in the wisdom of the Armenia and Turkish peoples and of the statesmen of our two countries. Armenia has stated several times that it is ready to establish relations with Turkey without any preconditions.
I would like to reiterate that Armenia is ready to continue the initiatives in this direction in order to find solutions reflecting the interests of all countries in our region, addressing the aspiration of our neighboring nations to live in peace and prosperity. 
The strategic importance of the South Caucasus is not just in its natural riches, but in its location on an important North-South and East-West axis, which can only be fully utilized if conflicts are resolved and good-neighborly relations are established. This is in the interest of our countries and of our peoples. The Republic of Armenia will spare no effort to bring that day closer

Dear Mayor,
Friends,

I avail myself of the opportunity provided by this day, to repeat words of gratitude to the French authorities, to the French people, to entire France: a friendly state where I have had the honor and the privilege to represent Armenia for almost ten years, a country where the recognition of the Armenian Genocide has a force of law, a country with which Armenia’s relations of the recent years have been distinguished by the highest level attained in the course of the secular French-Armenian history.
 I would like to address also the French of Armenian origin and to commend them for having remained so devoted and faithful to the values of the French Republic, while maintaining strong link with their roots. Your presence in such big numbers in this hall proves it.
I would like also to praise the representatives of French national, regional, departmental and municipal authorities, Senators, Members of the National Assembly, politicians, representatives of intellectual, artistic and cultural circles, the media and the unions, the thousands of French Armenians, and all those whose support I have enjoyed during all these years. 

Mr Mayor,
Dear friends,

I thank again the City of Paris for organizing this event, which offers me an opportunity to speak at the hall that has become so familiar, in this beautiful City Hall, which is impossible to forget. 

Thank you Paris!