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Armenian genocide to be recognized to prevent genocide in future
By Tigran Liloyan
ITAR-TASS News Agency
April 20, 2005 Wednesday
YEREVAN, April 20 -- The problems of preventing genocide are discussed
at a two-day international forum that opened here on Wednesday. The
conference is devoted to the 90th anniversary of the 1915 genocide
against the Armenians in the Ottoman Empire. Scientists from more
than 20 countries and well-known human right activists are taking
part in the meeting that is entitled "Heinous crime, prime challenge:
genocide and human rights."
"It took some time so that humankind took genocide as a crime against
humankind with all its consequences. The way to this truth has been
tragic for many peoples. This way claimed 1.5 million people in
Armenia," Armenian President Robert Kocharyan said at the opening of
the forum.
"The recognition of genocide against the Armenians is needed to
prevent genocide crimes in future," the president emphasized.
According to him, the Armenians "recall the past with grief, but
without hatred." "It is difficult for us to understand the aggressive
reaction of the Turkish side that not only denies genocide, but also
blockades Armenia now," he indicated.
"Countries come out more and more resolutely against genocide attempts
in what place soever in the world, but all this did not save humankind
from new genocides - Yugoslavia, Rwanda, Cambodia and Sumgait. The
blood of innocent people has been shed in all these places," Kocharyan
pointed out.
It is a shame that the repeated genocide could not be prevented in
the nineties despite of the lessons of the beginning of the twentieth
century, the Holocaust and World War Two, UN Special Adviser on the
Prevention of Genocide Juan Mendez told a news conference. According
to him, the prevention of genocide is a very difficult challenge for
humankind. The Armenian history is playing a very important role for
preventive measures against genocide. We are ready to do our best
to prevent the events that took place 90 years ago so that they will
never repeat in future, he pointed out.
The Armenian people and the foreign Armenian diaspora commemorate
victims of the 1915 genocide against the Armenians in the Ottoman
Empire on April 24.
By Tigran Liloyan
ITAR-TASS News Agency
April 20, 2005 Wednesday
YEREVAN, April 20 -- The problems of preventing genocide are discussed
at a two-day international forum that opened here on Wednesday. The
conference is devoted to the 90th anniversary of the 1915 genocide
against the Armenians in the Ottoman Empire. Scientists from more
than 20 countries and well-known human right activists are taking
part in the meeting that is entitled "Heinous crime, prime challenge:
genocide and human rights."
"It took some time so that humankind took genocide as a crime against
humankind with all its consequences. The way to this truth has been
tragic for many peoples. This way claimed 1.5 million people in
Armenia," Armenian President Robert Kocharyan said at the opening of
the forum.
"The recognition of genocide against the Armenians is needed to
prevent genocide crimes in future," the president emphasized.
According to him, the Armenians "recall the past with grief, but
without hatred." "It is difficult for us to understand the aggressive
reaction of the Turkish side that not only denies genocide, but also
blockades Armenia now," he indicated.
"Countries come out more and more resolutely against genocide attempts
in what place soever in the world, but all this did not save humankind
from new genocides - Yugoslavia, Rwanda, Cambodia and Sumgait. The
blood of innocent people has been shed in all these places," Kocharyan
pointed out.
It is a shame that the repeated genocide could not be prevented in
the nineties despite of the lessons of the beginning of the twentieth
century, the Holocaust and World War Two, UN Special Adviser on the
Prevention of Genocide Juan Mendez told a news conference. According
to him, the prevention of genocide is a very difficult challenge for
humankind. The Armenian history is playing a very important role for
preventive measures against genocide. We are ready to do our best
to prevent the events that took place 90 years ago so that they will
never repeat in future, he pointed out.
The Armenian people and the foreign Armenian diaspora commemorate
victims of the 1915 genocide against the Armenians in the Ottoman
Empire on April 24.