Armenia will submit a new initiative to the United Nations on the 70th anniversary of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, president Serzh Sargsyan said in his message on the 72nd session of the UN General Assembly on Tuesday, September 19.

"When I last spoke from this podium and addressed the process of the international recognition of the Armenian Genocide, I expressed our gratitude to all nations that recognized the horrendous crime that was committed against my people in the Ottoman Empire," Sargsyan said.

"I thank the numerous countries and individuals, state bodies, regional entities and organizations, who called things by their proper names. That is, indeed, important since denial paves the way for new crimes of genocide."

"In this context, we recall that next year the family of the United Nations will mark the 70th anniversary of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. Armenia will bring up a new initiative upon that occasion, and we invite everyone to join us and defend the initiative," Sargsyan said.

Some three dozen countries, hundreds of local government bodies and international organizations have so far recognized the killings of 1.5 million Armenian in the Ottoman Empire as genocide. Turkey denies to this day.

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