Vice-Speaker: Despite Turkey's attempts Armenian and Greek people have common future

Greek people's centuries long struggle for existence has led to maintenance of their cultural an national identity, Ambassador of Greece to the Republic of Armenia Ioannis Tais stated today at the event attached to the Greece's liberation from Ottoman yoke. 

"Armenia warmly received Greeks who due to their diligence were able to integrate into Armenian society and to hold state positions and Vice-Speaker of Armenian Parliament, who is attending today's event is a vivid example of this. As the history shows, Armenians and Greeks were side by side for many centuries and in many cases they were fighting against common enemies and this fight has strengthened relations between our nations", Greece's Ambassador to Armenia mentioned. In this context he positively assessed Armenian-Greek relations and emphasized that mutual visits also testify to the high level of relations. Ambassador Tais reminded that the Greek Defense Minister visited Yerevan in February and the Armenian President visited Athens in March. 

In his turn Vice-Speaker of the Armenian Parliament Eduard Sharmazanov touching upon Ankara's discontent by the results of Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan's visit to Greece and negative stand of both countries related to Turkey's policy, stated: "Despite Turkey's attempts, Armenian and Greece nations have common future. Our fight is not against Turkey. Turkey fights against Armenians and Greeks but our fight is not against anybody it is for... for our people, states, brothers, future of our children and for ensuring that Armenia and Greece as well as Cyprus and Nagorno-Karabakh Republic remain always free and independent. And if there are any obstacles on this path on behalf of Turkey and Azerbaijan we are ready to unite our efforts and to conduct joint fight". 

In this context he added that Armenian and Greek people have a lot in common and in fight for liberation from Ottoman yoke Armenians were with Greeks. "Today is an important day for us.  We will celebrate 195th anniversary of liberation of Greece from Ottoman yoke. Armenian and Greek people lived for centuries side by side and were struggling for existence, battle in Sardarapat and Karabakh's liberation testify to the fact that it is impossible to exterminate nations fighting for their existence", Sharmazanov concluded. 

To note, Greek Independence Day, national holiday celebrated annually in Greece on March 25, commemorating the start of the War of Greek Independence in 1821. It coincides with the Greek Orthodox Church's celebration of the Annunciation to the Theotokos, when the Archangel Gabriel appeared to Mary and told her that she would bear the son of God.

Greece had been part of the Ottoman Empire since 1453. The Greek revolt was precipitated on March 25, 1821, when Bishop Germanos of Patras raised the flag of revolution over the Monastery of Agia Lavra in the Peloponnese. The cry "Freedom or death" became the motto of the revolution. The Greeks experienced early successes on the battlefield, including the capture of Athens in June 1822, but infighting ensued. By 1827 Athens and most of the Greek isles had been recaptured by the Turks. The revolution ended in 1829 when the Treaty of Edirne established an independent Greek state.