Armenian Catholicos grateful to Netherlands for condemnation of  Armenian Genocide, support to Artsakh Armenians 

ArmInfo.  Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II, at a meeting with the delegation headed by the Minister of Education, Culture and Science of the Netherlands Eppo Bruins, expressed gratitude to official Amsterdam for condemning the Armenian Genocide and the support provided to Armenia and the people of Artsakh in difficult times.

As reported by the press office of the Mother See of Etchmiadzin, the  delegation arrived in Armenia to participate in the events dedicated  to the 110th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.

Garegin II noted that the marches to the memorial to the victims of  the Armenian Genocide are accompanied by the awareness of the need  for comprehensive recognition and condemnation of this crime so that  such tragedies do not happen in the future. In this regard, the  Catholicos regretfully emphasized that the world community regularly  witnesses new acts of genocide in different countries, recalling the  forced displacement of the entire Armenian population of Artsakh and  the occupation of Armenian lands by Azerbaijan.

During the meeting, His Holiness also touched upon the historical  ties and existing cooperation between the two peoples, noting with  satisfaction the active participation of the local Armenian community  in the development of the country.

In turn, Bruins shared his impressions of Armenia and emphasized the  importance of the centuries-old experience of the Armenian Church in  achieving harmony between faith and modern life in a changing world.

In 2018, the Lower House of the Dutch Parliament approved by a  majority vote two proposals regarding the Armenian Genocide of 1915.  Both proposals were submitted by Joel Fordewind, an MP from the  Christian Union. One of the adopted documents states that the Lower  House of the Dutch Parliament recognizes the Armenian Genocide, and  the second states that a Dutch minister or secretary of state must  visit the Tsitsernakaberd memorial complex in April and take part in  commemorative events.