April 24, 2009 -- Armenian Genocide Memorial Day, marking the 94th year since the killing of 1.5 million Armenians started in Western Armenia (now eastern Turkey). Tens of thousands of Armenians and friends walked solemnly the 1.5 kilometers from Kivyan Bridge in Yerevan to the 12-pillared Memorial with its Eternal Flame and artistic rendition of Ma and Sis (Biblical Mt. Ararat and the Little Mountain, an extinct volcanic cone -- both now in Turkish territory.) The Catholicos of the Armenian Apostolic Church gave a blessing, and the president and the prime minister paid their respects around 11 a.m. (+4 GMT). Others waited and walked slowly some 2 hours before reaching the Memorial, where they laid mostly red tulips or white carnations in memory of all those who died in what many consider the first genocide of the 20th century -- occurring before the word 'genocide' or 'holocaust' were coined by the UN in the World War II era. While Turkey and Armenia announced earlier in the week a plan for furthering diplomatic talks in an effort to perhaps eventually develop some kind of relationship and open borders between the two countries, many await the traditional statement offered by the U.S. president to Armenia -- hoping he may offer up the "G" word. However, it is highly doubtful that the "right time" has yet arrived for such an assertion. The U.S. has never officially recognized the genocide, worrying about its strategic ties with Turkey, while scores of individual states have already passed resolutions doing so.