On October 8 Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan visited Etchmiadzin to attend festive events dedicated to the City Day.

The President laid flowers to the monument to Karabakh war heroes and then took part in a solemn meeting where he was named an honorary resident of the city. “It's a great honor for me,” he said, adding that Etchmiadzin residents made a significant contribution to the development of independent Republic of Armenia.

Commenting on the visit of French President Nicolas Sarkozy and his statements in Yerevan, President Sargsyan said that Mr. Sarkozy doesn't make statements to gain someone's liking.

“His statements once again proved that Armenia's wish to normalize relations with Turkey has nothing to do with the process of international recognition of the Armenian Genocide,” the RA President said.